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Alien Mates #2
Manny for the Alien
Marco
I'm desperate for a job, a place to stay, and a boyfriend. Not necessarily in that order. That's why when I come across a sexy blue guy on the Alien Mates app who is searching for a nanny for his kids. I jump on the opportunity.
Hyacinth doesn’t want me to be his play thing the way I want him to, and he certainly doesn’t want me for forever, but the longer I spend with him and his family, the harder it is getting for me.
I want love, and this one comes with an entire family. The problem is, I don't want to just be the nanny anymore. I want to be the second parent and Hyacinth's other half.
Hyacinth
I have been searching for someone to raise my children with me. Marco is the best person I could have found in any galaxy. The moment I meet him, I am taken by him and ready to fit him into my life and the lives of my children.
But Marco keeps me at arms length. At first, I think he needs time to get to know me, but now I'm starting to realize that Marco thinks he's only here for the children.
Well, I am going to have to change his mind and show him that I am a worthy partner, because I'm not willing to let him go now that I've found him.
Manny for the Alien is the second in a series of M/M novellas featuring humans and aliens finding love through the Alien Mates dating app. They can be read in any order.
I'm desperate for a job, a place to stay, and a boyfriend. Not necessarily in that order. That's why when I come across a sexy blue guy on the Alien Mates app who is searching for a nanny for his kids. I jump on the opportunity.
Hyacinth doesn’t want me to be his play thing the way I want him to, and he certainly doesn’t want me for forever, but the longer I spend with him and his family, the harder it is getting for me.
I want love, and this one comes with an entire family. The problem is, I don't want to just be the nanny anymore. I want to be the second parent and Hyacinth's other half.
Hyacinth
I have been searching for someone to raise my children with me. Marco is the best person I could have found in any galaxy. The moment I meet him, I am taken by him and ready to fit him into my life and the lives of my children.
But Marco keeps me at arms length. At first, I think he needs time to get to know me, but now I'm starting to realize that Marco thinks he's only here for the children.
Well, I am going to have to change his mind and show him that I am a worthy partner, because I'm not willing to let him go now that I've found him.
Manny for the Alien is the second in a series of M/M novellas featuring humans and aliens finding love through the Alien Mates dating app. They can be read in any order.
63 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2024
20 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Sienna Sway
43 books195 followersSienna Sway is a Canadian writer living in gorgeous Vancouver BC, constantly inspired by her city and surroundings in bringing to life the most compelling m/m and het romance with interesting and real characters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 31, 2024
Is this the same person who wrote The Alien's Omega? I'm starting to have doubts because this novella is a throw-away.
The gist of the story is that Hyacinth, an alien, hires Marco, a human with no childcare experience, to be a live-in nanny for his three kids (who were born via eggs Hyacinth found in the trees - don't ask). They fall in lust/love within a week, maybe two.
There's nothing of substance here. The characters are flat and wooden. World building is nonexistent. Relationship development is null & void.
Aliens live on Earth. Um, oaky, how? Why? WHAT? As a society, we haven't progressed at all, but, hey, now we have aliens. cool cool cool
This read like something a student would write for a high school creative writing class. And not a good student at that.
P.S. Anyone who thinks readers shouldn't expect depth in a short story, this is a friendly reminder that Shirley Jackson's The Lottery is 30 pages.
The gist of the story is that Hyacinth, an alien, hires Marco, a human with no childcare experience, to be a live-in nanny for his three kids (who were born via eggs Hyacinth found in the trees - don't ask). They fall in lust/love within a week, maybe two.
There's nothing of substance here. The characters are flat and wooden. World building is nonexistent. Relationship development is null & void.
Aliens live on Earth. Um, oaky, how? Why? WHAT? As a society, we haven't progressed at all, but, hey, now we have aliens. cool cool cool
This read like something a student would write for a high school creative writing class. And not a good student at that.
P.S. Anyone who thinks readers shouldn't expect depth in a short story, this is a friendly reminder that Shirley Jackson's The Lottery is 30 pages.
November 2, 2024
This was.... very meh. Unjustified instalove and pretty much nothing happened. 2.5☆ rounded up.
October 31, 2024
This was a really cute and adorable short novella about a human and an alien finding love. They meet on a dating app but Marco needs a job more than a relationship, so he takes one as a nanny, but that’s not all his alien boss wants from him, he wants a lover and a partner and a parent to his three kids. And Marco wants that too. They are sweet together. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella and fell for Marco and Hyacinth. And the three cutie pies of his children. Well written.
January 4, 2025
So much here I liked.
I was leaning pretty heavily toward 4 stars, but this really does so much that I like I'm rounding it up.
The world and character development are good for such a short story. Not perfect, I have questions, but there's nothing to really detract from enjoying the story.
Most importantly, Marco and Hyacinth really work for me as a couple. They're not instalove or lust. In fact, Marco thinks Hyacinth a bit of a dud based on their dating app interaction. It's a little odd for conversation on such an app to lead to a job carrying for a man's children instead of hooking up with that man, but I liked it. It was what Marco needed at that time and seems fitting for how Hyacinth, an alien who looks like a large blue butterfly man, has come to interact with humans. There are two things that I absolutely loved about these two that tipped the rating to the top. "Wow, a normal d...," said by Marco at an intimate moment first made me laugh out loud, but then I just appreciated so much that the author didn't go with some weird or gigantic appendage for this. Also, as a foodie, I loved how Marco worked to make food that would please Hyacinth's alien tastes and how he strived to create a dish with Earthly ingredients that reminded Hyacinth of his favorite meal back on his home planet. Food, when used like this, is such a beautiful expression of love and care. Marco may be an idiot a few times in how he others Hyacinth, given his lack of experience interacting with many aliens, but he's never malicious and is self-aware enough to virtually facepalm when he makes a mistake.
There's something just heartfelt and authentic about this that I really love. It's very easy to forget it's meant to be a romance with an alien and his three little alien butterfly children because it's such a human story.
I was leaning pretty heavily toward 4 stars, but this really does so much that I like I'm rounding it up.
The world and character development are good for such a short story. Not perfect, I have questions, but there's nothing to really detract from enjoying the story.
Most importantly, Marco and Hyacinth really work for me as a couple. They're not instalove or lust. In fact, Marco thinks Hyacinth a bit of a dud based on their dating app interaction. It's a little odd for conversation on such an app to lead to a job carrying for a man's children instead of hooking up with that man, but I liked it. It was what Marco needed at that time and seems fitting for how Hyacinth, an alien who looks like a large blue butterfly man, has come to interact with humans. There are two things that I absolutely loved about these two that tipped the rating to the top. "Wow, a normal d...," said by Marco at an intimate moment first made me laugh out loud, but then I just appreciated so much that the author didn't go with some weird or gigantic appendage for this. Also, as a foodie, I loved how Marco worked to make food that would please Hyacinth's alien tastes and how he strived to create a dish with Earthly ingredients that reminded Hyacinth of his favorite meal back on his home planet. Food, when used like this, is such a beautiful expression of love and care. Marco may be an idiot a few times in how he others Hyacinth, given his lack of experience interacting with many aliens, but he's never malicious and is self-aware enough to virtually facepalm when he makes a mistake.
There's something just heartfelt and authentic about this that I really love. It's very easy to forget it's meant to be a romance with an alien and his three little alien butterfly children because it's such a human story.
November 1, 2024
I really enjoyed the concept of this but I feel as if it should've been longer. It fell short due to the length unfortunately.
November 3, 2024
Just Okay
The story was okay. Nothing special. Typical Manny story. However, the errors were numerous and annoying, pulling me out of the story multiple times.
The story was okay. Nothing special. Typical Manny story. However, the errors were numerous and annoying, pulling me out of the story multiple times.
November 27, 2024
DNF @ 10%.
First off, I hate the word “manny”. Can we drop it, like I’ve dropped this book?
I did read the first book in the series and it was good-ish. So I had planned on trying this one.
The use of “manny” however, has nothing to do with my DNF.
Marco receives a message from Hyacinth, who mentions he sees that Marco enjoys cooking. Marco confirms he loves cooking and asks Hyacinth his favourite dish, that maybe he could make it for him. Hyacinth says he doesn’t know if Earth has the ingredients. Marco asks what they are and suggests that maybe he could make something similar.
Hyacinth replies:
Well, Marcus is stumped, and thinks to himself:
Steaming grain and rice in leaves is exotic? Listen, I’m a picky eater, and I don’t like cooking, but pretty sure many places on Earth have all those ingredients and have steamed something in leaves. Cabbage rolls are pretty non-exotic and could fit the bill, ffs.
I don’t know who is being lazy and unimaginative here, Marco or the author.
First off, I hate the word “manny”. Can we drop it, like I’ve dropped this book?
I did read the first book in the series and it was good-ish. So I had planned on trying this one.
The use of “manny” however, has nothing to do with my DNF.
Marco receives a message from Hyacinth, who mentions he sees that Marco enjoys cooking. Marco confirms he loves cooking and asks Hyacinth his favourite dish, that maybe he could make it for him. Hyacinth says he doesn’t know if Earth has the ingredients. Marco asks what they are and suggests that maybe he could make something similar.
Hyacinth replies:
It’s a grain dish, filled with large nuts and steamed in the leaves of a common tree back home.
Well, Marcus is stumped, and thinks to himself:
Huh… okay, maybe I couldn’t help with that. I didn’t think I’d tried anything quite that exotic. I’d been going it would be something closer to Italian food.
Steaming grain and rice in leaves is exotic? Listen, I’m a picky eater, and I don’t like cooking, but pretty sure many places on Earth have all those ingredients and have steamed something in leaves. Cabbage rolls are pretty non-exotic and could fit the bill, ffs.
I don’t know who is being lazy and unimaginative here, Marco or the author.
October 31, 2024
~~~ 3.5 Stars ~~~
This was a good book. The main characters were cute together and the kids seemed sweet, though the book was so short I just felt like I couldn’t get a good judge of the kids characters. I usually like stories that are this short as I’m a really slow reader and even this length takes me about half a day nonstop and almost an entire day if I have to stop a couple times, but I think this story would have benefited a lot more had it been longer. I felt like I missed a ton of story because it took about 82% through the book for them to first get together and then after that it jumps straight to the epilogue of it being 6 months later and then being a full couple.
Overall, I loved the main characters and I might have loved the kids had they of been flushed out more in a longer story, but this was definitely too short of a book for Hyacinth and Marcos story to be told. Had it of been longer, I probably would have gave it 4.5 stars.
~~~ I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ~~~
This was a good book. The main characters were cute together and the kids seemed sweet, though the book was so short I just felt like I couldn’t get a good judge of the kids characters. I usually like stories that are this short as I’m a really slow reader and even this length takes me about half a day nonstop and almost an entire day if I have to stop a couple times, but I think this story would have benefited a lot more had it been longer. I felt like I missed a ton of story because it took about 82% through the book for them to first get together and then after that it jumps straight to the epilogue of it being 6 months later and then being a full couple.
Overall, I loved the main characters and I might have loved the kids had they of been flushed out more in a longer story, but this was definitely too short of a book for Hyacinth and Marcos story to be told. Had it of been longer, I probably would have gave it 4.5 stars.
~~~ I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. ~~~
November 3, 2024
This is book two in the Alien Mates series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone. This is the story of Marco and Hyacinth. Marco has lost his job, is almost out of his savings and thinks he will lose his apartment next. He has been trying without success to find any type of a job. When the man he connects with on the Alien Mates apps offers him a job, Marco takes it. Hyacinth is a single dad with three children. He desperately needs a manny to look after them. Even though he was interested in Marco, he puts his children first and hires him to be a manny. Hyacinth believes he can slowly woo Marco when he is living with him in his home. Unfortunately, that is one of many things he has forgotten to mention to Marco. This is their story. This is a short, cute novella. It is well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 29, 2024
Interesting novella with unique characters. Marco is a human, unemployed, about to be evicted, looking for a job – and love. Marco encounters Hyacinth, an alien single parent, on a dating app at first. As they chat online, Marco reveals he’s looking for work, Hyacinth says he’s looking for someone to do in-home child care. In fairly short order, Marco meets Hyacinth and begins working as a live-in nanny for Hyacinth’s three young children.
This is a sweet little romance, without a lot of story around the central relationship between Marco and Hyacinth. I enjoyed the romance, but would have liked a more fleshed out story, personally.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a sweet little romance, without a lot of story around the central relationship between Marco and Hyacinth. I enjoyed the romance, but would have liked a more fleshed out story, personally.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 31, 2024
Cute, short read
Marco is in trouble.
He needs a job in order to survive, and he definitely doesn't have time to date.
That doesn't stop him from using an alien dating match site.
He initially matches with Hyacinth and finds him attractive.
Hyacinth then lets slip that he needs a nanny for his small children, and it turns into a job interview, and he gets the job.
They have great chemistry, but now the lines are blurred because Marco works for Hyacinth.
After some initial misunderstandings, they settle into a nice routine.
That simmering chemistry between them finally explodes, and they both realize they want more from each other and decide to pursue an actual relationship for their HEA.
Marco is in trouble.
He needs a job in order to survive, and he definitely doesn't have time to date.
That doesn't stop him from using an alien dating match site.
He initially matches with Hyacinth and finds him attractive.
Hyacinth then lets slip that he needs a nanny for his small children, and it turns into a job interview, and he gets the job.
They have great chemistry, but now the lines are blurred because Marco works for Hyacinth.
After some initial misunderstandings, they settle into a nice routine.
That simmering chemistry between them finally explodes, and they both realize they want more from each other and decide to pursue an actual relationship for their HEA.
October 27, 2024
Marco and Hyacinth are just perfect for each other! This is my first time reading from this author and I think I will be sticking around to read more from them.
This is such a cute romance story that had me giggling right from the first page. The story follows Marco, a human, who is desperately looking for job. He matches Hyacinth, a single alien dad of three on a dating app, and is thrust into the chaos of nanny life when Hyacinth asks him to be a live-in nanny for his kids.
I don't usually read alien romance but this was so easy to follow that I just couldn't put down.
Now the spice... boy, this was hot! Loved every bit of it.
Awesome read overall.
This is such a cute romance story that had me giggling right from the first page. The story follows Marco, a human, who is desperately looking for job. He matches Hyacinth, a single alien dad of three on a dating app, and is thrust into the chaos of nanny life when Hyacinth asks him to be a live-in nanny for his kids.
I don't usually read alien romance but this was so easy to follow that I just couldn't put down.
Now the spice... boy, this was hot! Loved every bit of it.
Awesome read overall.
November 1, 2024
Delightful! Always set expectations up front! Marco, needs a job and to pay his living expenses. He wants financial security and a boyfriend, a forever love. Hyacinth, is looking for a forever person for himself and his family. Somehow, there is a miscommunication and Marco, misses Hyacinth's goal. Hyacinth, has to find a way to ensure Marco knows exactly why he was chosen. Good likeable characters, sweetest family, great storyline flow. You just fall in love with the entire gamily. Nicely done, you still are on the edge of your seat hoping they will reach clarity. Really nice cover aret! Fun! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 26, 2024
Light Alien romance
This was ultra short, light and elementary alien romance. Marco is out of work and lonely. Hyacinth is a single dad alien who needs a nanny.
They meet, struggle to get their footing for a couple of weeks, then boom fall in love happily ever after .
Very, very little world building for Hyacinths alien nature. We learn he is blue, he has wings. there was a short explanation where alien women lay eggs in trees an alien man fertilize them, and raise them. Alien women are not involved and alien men seek out others when they are interested in having a life partner. Also, the aliens have heavy pheromone magic..
This was ultra short, light and elementary alien romance. Marco is out of work and lonely. Hyacinth is a single dad alien who needs a nanny.
They meet, struggle to get their footing for a couple of weeks, then boom fall in love happily ever after .
Very, very little world building for Hyacinths alien nature. We learn he is blue, he has wings. there was a short explanation where alien women lay eggs in trees an alien man fertilize them, and raise them. Alien women are not involved and alien men seek out others when they are interested in having a life partner. Also, the aliens have heavy pheromone magic..
October 31, 2024
I enjoyed this short story of love and family between an alien and his human nanny.
Marco and Hyacinth first meet on an alien mates dating app. Marco comes to work for Hyacinth as a nanny to his 3 kids. There are. some misunderstandings at first. Marco believes Hyacinth only wants a nanny. Hyacinth misinterprets human dating customs making things even more unclear. But love prevails. A very sweet story! No angst!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Marco and Hyacinth first meet on an alien mates dating app. Marco comes to work for Hyacinth as a nanny to his 3 kids. There are. some misunderstandings at first. Marco believes Hyacinth only wants a nanny. Hyacinth misinterprets human dating customs making things even more unclear. But love prevails. A very sweet story! No angst!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 31, 2024
A short story that describes the relationship between Marcus and Hyacinth. The premise of the story is good, but because it is so short, we don't get to know the characters deeply enough or see the relationship develop - everything happens too quickly.
I was a bit disappointed that Hyacinth doesn't have any physically alien features beyond being blue and having wings.
Overall, the story is sweet and fun for a quick read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was a bit disappointed that Hyacinth doesn't have any physically alien features beyond being blue and having wings.
Overall, the story is sweet and fun for a quick read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 11, 2024
Being without a job sucked! And soon he’d be homeless because he’d be out of money for rent. The only plus on Marco ‘s horizon is the Alien dating app. After talking to Hyacinth and for the call to drift towards Marco not having a job, Hyacinth offers him a Nanny position. Being in charge of three young alien children is a little challenging but after a few days Marco has a routine.
Sweet book, quick too! Hyacinth is a wonderful male and Marco is too!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sweet book, quick too! Hyacinth is a wonderful male and Marco is too!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 28, 2024
This is an adorable bit of fluff and I enjoyed reading it. This is the story of Marco, a human who is desperate for a job but also wants to find love, and Hyacinth, a medical professional and single dad, who needs someone to watch his kids, but who also wants to complete his family and find love.
Spoiler: they both get what they want ;). How this happens is very cute and endearing. This is a low spice story, but high in sweetness. I look forward to reading more in the Alien Mates series.
Spoiler: they both get what they want ;). How this happens is very cute and endearing. This is a low spice story, but high in sweetness. I look forward to reading more in the Alien Mates series.
November 11, 2024
I really enjoyed this story. It was a sweet read. I'm sad it wasn't longer because I'm not ready to let this couple- this family go. Good world building. I was fascinated by how the Papilionoidean have children! I would love to read stories of males going to the eggs that the females have left behind in the trees and select ones for children. I loved both Marco and Hyacinth. The attraction was there, but there were some misunderstandings before we get our happy ending. 4 stars.
October 31, 2024
Cooingly sweet…
Hyacinth and Marco have a cooingly sweet relationship. They go from strangers to employer/employee overnight and from employer/employee to lovers the next week. Hyacinth kids are super sweet and I liked their dialogue. Overall, a super easy, zero angst, low spice short story.
Hyacinth and Marco have a cooingly sweet relationship. They go from strangers to employer/employee overnight and from employer/employee to lovers the next week. Hyacinth kids are super sweet and I liked their dialogue. Overall, a super easy, zero angst, low spice short story.
November 2, 2024
The book had a great premise, but I couldn't get over how clueless Marco was about certain things, namely that he didn't understand the children needed naps and that he let two of the children go to bed without dinner. The romance between Marco and Hyacinth is endearing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 23, 2025
I always like alien romance stories for the blending of two such different customs and species. This series is interesting because it’s set on Earth so there’s no world building. It’s just a story of two very different people finding out they have more in common than they initially thought and learning to blend their differences to make a life together. It’s short, but it’s sweet.
October 29, 2024
A different type of nanny story, it was like a nanny story for males with sugar n spice and everything nice in the middle! Hyacinth was hilarious in his own right, Marco just added a little more to his life. And boy were they filled with smutttttttt!!!!
October 31, 2024
Cute short book about a family coming together. I normally don't care for books with an emphasis on children, but this managed to stay mostly focused on the adults. There's some groundwork for a good wider universe and exploration if different cultures.
November 26, 2024
This was a good book, but not what I anticipated from this author. Especially from their previous works. There was plenty of promise but something seems to clearly be missing from the book overall.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 29, 2024
I enjoyed Manny for the Alien by Sienna Sway. It's the second book in the Alien Mates series. I liked Marco and Hyacinth's story. It was cute and sweet, but I wished it was longer and more fleshed out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 28, 2024
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how everything worked out so both Marco and Hyacinth get everything they both wanted.
October 29, 2024
This was a very cute book! A lot of spice, but sweet spice, haha. The characters are very nice, the plot is also very nice. I enjoyed this book, so I can definitely recommend it!
October 31, 2024
This is a quick story but it was so cute to read. I really enjoyed reading Marco and Hyacinth's story and their epilogue was sweet.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
November 1, 2024
This short story was sweet, developed fast and ended abruptly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews