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Interspecies Alliances #5
The Alien Scientist
Kevin Garin, ex-Human Special Forces soldier and current bodyguard to Dominic Turner, does not want to leave his embattled client to escort a strange, rude, infuriating, and, admittedly, pretty qeshian scientist through the infamously hostile Qeshian Dead Zone.
Sazahk, brilliant and disgraced biologist with a mission to rehabilitate a ruined land for the settlement of a dangerous new species, does not want to be baby sat by an overbearing, uptight human bodyguard (with a notably symmetrical face) who doesn’t even trust him to walk himself across the street.
Yet despite their differences and initial misgivings, between near-death experiences with corrosive ponds and unpleasant encounters with toxic fungi, the men develop a grudging appreciation for each other. That appreciation morphs into a shy, shunned desire, then into a desperate infatuation, and finally into something more powerful than either of them ever imagined.
But Garin has responsibilities beyond his own happiness, and Sazahk has never been any good for anyone anyway. And in the maelstrom of warring corporate families and species states maneuvering along the edges of war, there are more than Garin and Sazahk’s traumas and insecurities conspiring to keep them apart.
A story filled with opposites-attract and forced proximity (with a dash of science-made-them-do-it), The Alien Scientist is the second-to-last book in Interspecies Alliances—a series best read in order about a galaxy torn apart by conflict and the men fighting to keep it together. Everyone gets HEAs once the series ends, but first, each novel follows its own couple with their own HFN on this epic space adventure.
science fiction violence, mind-altering substances, past trauma related to authority and medical figures
Sazahk, brilliant and disgraced biologist with a mission to rehabilitate a ruined land for the settlement of a dangerous new species, does not want to be baby sat by an overbearing, uptight human bodyguard (with a notably symmetrical face) who doesn’t even trust him to walk himself across the street.
Yet despite their differences and initial misgivings, between near-death experiences with corrosive ponds and unpleasant encounters with toxic fungi, the men develop a grudging appreciation for each other. That appreciation morphs into a shy, shunned desire, then into a desperate infatuation, and finally into something more powerful than either of them ever imagined.
But Garin has responsibilities beyond his own happiness, and Sazahk has never been any good for anyone anyway. And in the maelstrom of warring corporate families and species states maneuvering along the edges of war, there are more than Garin and Sazahk’s traumas and insecurities conspiring to keep them apart.
A story filled with opposites-attract and forced proximity (with a dash of science-made-them-do-it), The Alien Scientist is the second-to-last book in Interspecies Alliances—a series best read in order about a galaxy torn apart by conflict and the men fighting to keep it together. Everyone gets HEAs once the series ends, but first, each novel follows its own couple with their own HFN on this epic space adventure.
science fiction violence, mind-altering substances, past trauma related to authority and medical figures
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 16, 2025
4.25**** stars
man I love this series!
this time we have the nerdy biologist Sazahk with a very scientific way of speaking and the former Special Forces soldier Garin turned bodyguard on an exploration mission in The Dead Zone.
Day and night together, at some point with only one sleeping bag left and nights too cold to sleep without one. *wink And because this only-one-bed situation wasn’t enough, poor Garin inhales some spores from a funny mushroom that spiked his arousal to unexpected hights and Sazahk lends a helping hand, being a good companion and all that. *lmaooo
I loved the complicated and tentative romance that started to blossom that night although I didn’t appreciate the miscommunication between the two even though it was quite understandable.
bahaha, and I loved the shenanigans Sazahk came up with in his new ship that reminded me so much of his big brother in the prequel. probably because it was a gift from said brother, haha—scorching fun.
Absolute great addition to the series.
I’m a bit sad that there hasn’t been an announcement for the last book as of yet but I can’t wait for it to come. It’s going to be a fantastic ending, I’m sure.
****************
Interspecies Alliances Series
Prequel - The Alien Emissary - 4.0 stars
Book 1 - The Alien Bodyguard - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - The Alien Infiltrator - 3.5 stars
Book 3 - The Alien Medic - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - The Alien Soldier - 4.5 stars
Book 5 - The Alien Scientist - 4.25 stars
Book 6 - The Alien Prince - tbd
man I love this series!
this time we have the nerdy biologist Sazahk with a very scientific way of speaking and the former Special Forces soldier Garin turned bodyguard on an exploration mission in The Dead Zone.
Day and night together, at some point with only one sleeping bag left and nights too cold to sleep without one. *wink And because this only-one-bed situation wasn’t enough, poor Garin inhales some spores from a funny mushroom that spiked his arousal to unexpected hights and Sazahk lends a helping hand, being a good companion and all that. *lmaooo
“I recognize that this is deeply uncomfortable for you both physically and mentally […] “But because this is the first and only documented incident of human exposure to the spores of the fruiting body of the fungus-like mycelium organism we have discovered, I would like to register my interest in participating.”
Garin’s mind blanked. Had Sazahk just…
“You want to get me off?”
“If you’re amenable, yes.”
I loved the complicated and tentative romance that started to blossom that night although I didn’t appreciate the miscommunication between the two even though it was quite understandable.
bahaha, and I loved the shenanigans Sazahk came up with in his new ship that reminded me so much of his big brother in the prequel. probably because it was a gift from said brother, haha—scorching fun.
Absolute great addition to the series.
I’m a bit sad that there hasn’t been an announcement for the last book as of yet but I can’t wait for it to come. It’s going to be a fantastic ending, I’m sure.
****************
Interspecies Alliances Series
Prequel - The Alien Emissary - 4.0 stars
Book 1 - The Alien Bodyguard - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - The Alien Infiltrator - 3.5 stars
Book 3 - The Alien Medic - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - The Alien Soldier - 4.5 stars
Book 5 - The Alien Scientist - 4.25 stars
Book 6 - The Alien Prince - tbd
August 13, 2024
I love these books. Such a unique and interesting series. I almost always think “nah, there’s no way I’ll fall for these characters based on who they were in previous books” BUT THEN I DO. Every. Time. I am looking forward to the next book but am also going to be so bummed when this series is over. I hope Eryn keeps writing.
August 15, 2024
4.25 - 4.5⭐ and I'll round it up, because I really love this series.
I love the main characters of every single book, the setting, the ideas, the books are also getting better and better.
Sazahk's story was highly anticipated from my side and it didn't disappoint. It features a devoted, neurodivergent and demisexual scientist who finds his match in an army guy, opens up and experiences a very beautiful, passionate love.
🟢 Alien/human
🔵 Size difference (the human MMC is a short king)
🟣 Exploration, plot heavy, crazy mushrooms, new species, scientific research
🟡 Miscommunication (but it's digestible)
🟠 A bit of forced proximity
🟢 Opposites attracted (orderly military guy and a chaotic scientist)
🌶️ Hot sex, loved it; both vers
If you're reading this series, you know already about the Qesh, a superior, royal species in this world setting. Sazahk is a part of a very important family on Qesha, but has been extradited because of his research gone bad - or so he thought. I thought the punishment was too harsh and as it turned out, he eventually did help that cause, so - Sazahk is a brilliant scientist, who made tons of remarkable contributions to the Qeshan society, but they still terribly mutilated him and cast him aside.
He was already present in the previous book.
When Sazahk gets hired by his own people to research the Dead Zone - part of the Qesha planet where the Insects are meant to settle, he's assigned a bodyguard for his scientific exploration. Kevin Garin is Dominic's bodyguard (also present in the previous 2 books, I think)
and when these two are forced to spend time together on a somewhat dangerous mission, they're attracted to each other, spend time together getting to know one another and have fantastic sex along the way.
Completely unexpected for Sazahk because
"Unwanted arousal— something that had barely reared its head in Sazahk’s teenage years and never since— had been creeping around the edges of Sazahk’s consciousness since the first night Garin shared his sleeping bag."
Yes, the mushrooms - the crazy mushrooms were at fault for making Kevin horny as hell, and Sazahk being the ever devoted scientist, who was he to turn down that part of his research and observations? It's having sex - for science! He's just doing his job, you can't blame him. Yes, he's actually collecting Kevin's spunk after he blows him.
When the mission ends, Sazahk and Kevin are immediately ripped apart and the focus is on the plot - which I don't mind, since it's Dominic - but it left half of the story yet to come and I realised it wasn't going to be as easy for them to come together, even though the feelings were there, and they were strong.
As Sazahk gets back his rightful place in the Qeshan society and mends his relationship with Serihk, Kevin does come back into the picture, but has such a heavy load on his shoulders that it takes pretty much until 97% of the book for Sazahk and Kevin to get their happy ending.
There was some miscommunication and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why couldn't they make it happen since Sazahk was from a rich family, he could pull some strings and hook up Kevin's family with resources, but it was on Kevin, he needed to get his priorities reprioritized and he did - but at the very end and only after his family told him to go and life his life.
I maybe wanted for Kevin to put a stop to it himself, days prior to him eventually spending the night with Sazahk again. That time Kevin was in the hospital was the perfect opportunity for him to realise what he really wanted to do and make some drastic changes.
Even when Sazahk and Kevin did spend time together at the end, they still didn't commit to something more substantial or serious, so everything was still up in the air until the very end, which just brought on my anxiety because there was about 1% of the book left for that happy ending.
That being said, I loved both main characters, who are amazing guys that are perfect together. Their sex life was fantastic, worth reading about, everything well described and satisfying. I particularly liked the part where Sazahk penetrated Kevin with his tentacle while Kevin penetrated (can I say fucked?) Sazahk, or when he ate him out while being tentacle-fucked. Yeah, that was hot. 🔥
"Garin cried out as the metal stretched his rim, bliss blurring his vision as he found himself trapped between the two overwhelming sensations of his face buried in Sazahk’s ass and Sazahk’s tentacle buried in his. He licked deliriously and whimpered when Sazahk’s tentacles followed his lead, stroking against his rim the way he stroked Sazahk’s with his tongue."
An effortless chemistry with both main characters having absolutely no ego problems, both romantic, passionate and just the perfect fit, one of my favourite couples in this series!
I think the author should've given Sazahk and Kevin much more time after they got back together though. It was quick and done with in one paragraph and I definitely didn't appreciate that.
One month later and they're happy together but - what happened in that one month? I don't know, I would want to be on that journey with them a bit longer.
Either way, this was a treat.
I'm definitely looking forward to Dominic's book - and as I've said already in one of my previous reviews, I was hoping he'll get the Insect Prince - and he does! He gets the prince. An arranged marriage even! Can't wait. 🤞
I love the main characters of every single book, the setting, the ideas, the books are also getting better and better.
Sazahk's story was highly anticipated from my side and it didn't disappoint. It features a devoted, neurodivergent and demisexual scientist who finds his match in an army guy, opens up and experiences a very beautiful, passionate love.
🟢 Alien/human
🔵 Size difference (the human MMC is a short king)
🟣 Exploration, plot heavy, crazy mushrooms, new species, scientific research
🟡 Miscommunication (but it's digestible)
🟠 A bit of forced proximity
🟢 Opposites attracted (orderly military guy and a chaotic scientist)
🌶️ Hot sex, loved it; both vers
If you're reading this series, you know already about the Qesh, a superior, royal species in this world setting. Sazahk is a part of a very important family on Qesha, but has been extradited because of his research gone bad - or so he thought. I thought the punishment was too harsh and as it turned out, he eventually did help that cause, so - Sazahk is a brilliant scientist, who made tons of remarkable contributions to the Qeshan society, but they still terribly mutilated him and cast him aside.
He was already present in the previous book.
When Sazahk gets hired by his own people to research the Dead Zone - part of the Qesha planet where the Insects are meant to settle, he's assigned a bodyguard for his scientific exploration. Kevin Garin is Dominic's bodyguard (also present in the previous 2 books, I think)
and when these two are forced to spend time together on a somewhat dangerous mission, they're attracted to each other, spend time together getting to know one another and have fantastic sex along the way.
Completely unexpected for Sazahk because
"Unwanted arousal— something that had barely reared its head in Sazahk’s teenage years and never since— had been creeping around the edges of Sazahk’s consciousness since the first night Garin shared his sleeping bag."
Yes, the mushrooms - the crazy mushrooms were at fault for making Kevin horny as hell, and Sazahk being the ever devoted scientist, who was he to turn down that part of his research and observations? It's having sex - for science! He's just doing his job, you can't blame him. Yes, he's actually collecting Kevin's spunk after he blows him.
When the mission ends, Sazahk and Kevin are immediately ripped apart and the focus is on the plot - which I don't mind, since it's Dominic - but it left half of the story yet to come and I realised it wasn't going to be as easy for them to come together, even though the feelings were there, and they were strong.
As Sazahk gets back his rightful place in the Qeshan society and mends his relationship with Serihk, Kevin does come back into the picture, but has such a heavy load on his shoulders that it takes pretty much until 97% of the book for Sazahk and Kevin to get their happy ending.
There was some miscommunication and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why couldn't they make it happen since Sazahk was from a rich family, he could pull some strings and hook up Kevin's family with resources, but it was on Kevin, he needed to get his priorities reprioritized and he did - but at the very end and only after his family told him to go and life his life.
I maybe wanted for Kevin to put a stop to it himself, days prior to him eventually spending the night with Sazahk again. That time Kevin was in the hospital was the perfect opportunity for him to realise what he really wanted to do and make some drastic changes.
Even when Sazahk and Kevin did spend time together at the end, they still didn't commit to something more substantial or serious, so everything was still up in the air until the very end, which just brought on my anxiety because there was about 1% of the book left for that happy ending.
That being said, I loved both main characters, who are amazing guys that are perfect together. Their sex life was fantastic, worth reading about, everything well described and satisfying. I particularly liked the part where Sazahk penetrated Kevin with his tentacle while Kevin penetrated (can I say fucked?) Sazahk, or when he ate him out while being tentacle-fucked. Yeah, that was hot. 🔥
"Garin cried out as the metal stretched his rim, bliss blurring his vision as he found himself trapped between the two overwhelming sensations of his face buried in Sazahk’s ass and Sazahk’s tentacle buried in his. He licked deliriously and whimpered when Sazahk’s tentacles followed his lead, stroking against his rim the way he stroked Sazahk’s with his tongue."
An effortless chemistry with both main characters having absolutely no ego problems, both romantic, passionate and just the perfect fit, one of my favourite couples in this series!
I think the author should've given Sazahk and Kevin much more time after they got back together though. It was quick and done with in one paragraph and I definitely didn't appreciate that.
One month later and they're happy together but - what happened in that one month? I don't know, I would want to be on that journey with them a bit longer.
Either way, this was a treat.
I'm definitely looking forward to Dominic's book - and as I've said already in one of my previous reviews, I was hoping he'll get the Insect Prince - and he does! He gets the prince. An arranged marriage even! Can't wait. 🤞
August 19, 2024
Ooh I loved this! Possibly my favourite of the series! Sazakh has my heart entirely - I loved his nerdy, neurodivergent ways, his social awkwardness and genuine demi-sexuality. He was a real treat and Garin was a great fit for him.
I loved being reconnected with our team of underdog misfits - Patrick, Fal’ran, Bar’in and Tar. The found family vibes are so good. It was also great to see Serikh again and I loved the whole dynamic between him and Sazakh and learning more about Sazakhs past.
Great worldbuilding and solid plot lines here. The storyline has depth but isn’t too complicated. Re-reading The Alien Bodyguard before this really helped to get me invested back into the main goings on. It’s a really good mix of central plot and side stories that don’t overpower the romance. I only wish there was some time with them happy together at the end of the book doing domestic life stuff and hanging with their misfit crew. I needed more time with them, I could read about Sazakh’s alien skin colours that show his emotions for days.
I’m sooooo intrigued for Dom’s story with the Insect Guy. Absolutely cannot wait!
I loved being reconnected with our team of underdog misfits - Patrick, Fal’ran, Bar’in and Tar. The found family vibes are so good. It was also great to see Serikh again and I loved the whole dynamic between him and Sazakh and learning more about Sazakhs past.
Great worldbuilding and solid plot lines here. The storyline has depth but isn’t too complicated. Re-reading The Alien Bodyguard before this really helped to get me invested back into the main goings on. It’s a really good mix of central plot and side stories that don’t overpower the romance. I only wish there was some time with them happy together at the end of the book doing domestic life stuff and hanging with their misfit crew. I needed more time with them, I could read about Sazakh’s alien skin colours that show his emotions for days.
I’m sooooo intrigued for Dom’s story with the Insect Guy. Absolutely cannot wait!
August 17, 2024
He has been ordered to go and look after another client which he is not happy about at all. They are rude and annoying but he also see they are pretty with it. The journey is not going to be an easy one especially when emotions get involved. Will the mission succeed? Will they have a relationship? How will it all go? See just how it will all go
August 16, 2024
Sazahk!!! 😍😍😍😍😍 (you oblivious idiot 🤣)
July 24, 2024
I love the interactions between Garin and Sazahk. They both were so sweet and cute with each other. Also, I love the way Sazahk gives Garin compliments. I found the spicy scenes to have an element of cute and sweet mixed in with them.
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.
September 24, 2024
This book had a bit of an uphill battle with me. I was never not going to read it, because I've been here since the start and I want to see it through. But in the previous book, the characters discover a whole new species and interact with them, one of whom is A PRINCE WITH WINGS. So I am champing at the bit to learn more about him. This book I felt like was a delay in getting to the good stuff I crave.
That being said, I WAS SO WRONG. This is such a good book! Maybe even moreso because it was good and compelling enough to get me, a more reluctant reader, on board. Eryn Ivers keeps stepping up with each book, and this is no exception.
Sazahk needs to map the dead zone on his planet to help make it habitable for the newly discovered and contacted Insect species. But it's a dangerous wasteland, and while Sazahk doesn't want a babysitter, his close friends insist that he takes a bodyguard out into the field. Enter Kevin Garin, who has bodyguarded for Dominic Turner, magnate's son and engineer of the devastating chemical warfare seen in previous book.
I was at first disappointed in having another military-esque human as the romantic lead, but Garin defies stereotypes. He's quickly established as a caretaker who's made a career of self-sacrifice. He joined the military to support his mother and younger siblings; he took on the bodyguard gig to do the same. Sazahk just sees a man who wants to get in the way of his biological research.
But over time out in the dead zone, they build a mutual trust that through some alien spore shenanigans, becomes something more heated and more intense (even if both are reluctant to acknowledge the depth of their growing feelings.
The stakes are deliciously high: Sazahk has to find a way to make the dead zone inhabitable so the peace treaty between the qesh, humans and Kla'eel will go through with the Insects. He also has a mysterious past (that is FINALLY revealed), where he was ousted from qeshian society and the scientific community; this mission and its success is his ticket back to his full capabilities. Garin needs the money the mission provides to pay for the medication that is finally helping his mother's mental health.
It's kind of hard to talk about the last half of the book without spoiling, but Dominic gets into trouble trying to the right thing, and Sazahk has to make a big gamble to resolve it. Also, their research mission is for only a month, and both Garin and Sazahk's natures of "I don't want to make him make a hard choice, so I'll self-sacrifice without being asked to do so" get the better of them. It's technically a miscommunication trope, but it's so rooted in their character traits that it feels poignant instead of annoying.
Also, this book is quite spicy! The aforementioned alien spore incident is actually the best handling of "an outside force is causing horniness and the other person must relief me sexually to solve the issue" I've read. It doesn't feel icky or have dubious consent, it's just good. I don't want to say too much ... but the metal tentacles from the first in this series (about Sazahk's older brother, so this tracks) make a kinky return in this book. It's all really good, and each sex scene brings Sazahk and Garin closer emotionally as well.
I was thrilled to read this, and I can't wait until the next (and final, sob) book in the series to come out. My insect prince is finally getting his day.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
That being said, I WAS SO WRONG. This is such a good book! Maybe even moreso because it was good and compelling enough to get me, a more reluctant reader, on board. Eryn Ivers keeps stepping up with each book, and this is no exception.
Sazahk needs to map the dead zone on his planet to help make it habitable for the newly discovered and contacted Insect species. But it's a dangerous wasteland, and while Sazahk doesn't want a babysitter, his close friends insist that he takes a bodyguard out into the field. Enter Kevin Garin, who has bodyguarded for Dominic Turner, magnate's son and engineer of the devastating chemical warfare seen in previous book.
I was at first disappointed in having another military-esque human as the romantic lead, but Garin defies stereotypes. He's quickly established as a caretaker who's made a career of self-sacrifice. He joined the military to support his mother and younger siblings; he took on the bodyguard gig to do the same. Sazahk just sees a man who wants to get in the way of his biological research.
But over time out in the dead zone, they build a mutual trust that through some alien spore shenanigans, becomes something more heated and more intense (even if both are reluctant to acknowledge the depth of their growing feelings.
The stakes are deliciously high: Sazahk has to find a way to make the dead zone inhabitable so the peace treaty between the qesh, humans and Kla'eel will go through with the Insects. He also has a mysterious past (that is FINALLY revealed), where he was ousted from qeshian society and the scientific community; this mission and its success is his ticket back to his full capabilities. Garin needs the money the mission provides to pay for the medication that is finally helping his mother's mental health.
It's kind of hard to talk about the last half of the book without spoiling, but Dominic gets into trouble trying to the right thing, and Sazahk has to make a big gamble to resolve it. Also, their research mission is for only a month, and both Garin and Sazahk's natures of "I don't want to make him make a hard choice, so I'll self-sacrifice without being asked to do so" get the better of them. It's technically a miscommunication trope, but it's so rooted in their character traits that it feels poignant instead of annoying.
Also, this book is quite spicy! The aforementioned alien spore incident is actually the best handling of "an outside force is causing horniness and the other person must relief me sexually to solve the issue" I've read. It doesn't feel icky or have dubious consent, it's just good. I don't want to say too much ... but the metal tentacles from the first in this series (about Sazahk's older brother, so this tracks) make a kinky return in this book. It's all really good, and each sex scene brings Sazahk and Garin closer emotionally as well.
I was thrilled to read this, and I can't wait until the next (and final, sob) book in the series to come out. My insect prince is finally getting his day.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
August 15, 2024
I love Eryn Ivers's writing. The Alien Scientist plot is on a much smaller side than some of the previous books - and I really liked that. Sometimes it's nice to just follow a couple of characters on a deserted land, trying to survive and not kill each other. Smart idiots in love? Yes, please.
Kevin stole my heart and never gave it back. He was attentive to Sazahk's needs, cared about him in a non-apologetic way, and had a no-nonsense approach that never bordered on smothering. He cared, and every time his heart broke a little bit, my heart wept with him.
I'm really happy that he not only got himself a lover but also a group of future friends.
Sazahk was so logical, so smart, and clearly demiromantic, that you can't hate him. Did I want to scream at him sometimes? Oh sure. Intelligent people make bigger mistakes, and I was glad he suffered a little bit at some point in the story - not because he doesn't deserve love and everything good, mind you! But he needed to fall in love and feel how being alive is. How life goals can be different than just being a good Qesh, or a good biologist, or a good scientist.
I like how this story was a little bit angst-y, but never too much. Both protagonists had clear goals in their minds, but they also learned together how to be good individuals and understanding partners. The miscommunication was present, but never crossed the line of that-irritating-plot-device, and I highly appreciate that. The author did a very good job of maintaining the characters' differences but not breaking the believability of their decisions just for the sake of the plot.
I love how Garin has a nickname "tight ass", how he loves being broken from pleasure at the hands of his lover, and how he can find freedom only in submission to Sazahk. Every love-making scene was hotter than the previous one, and I love that too.
I cannot wait for Dominic's story, and I need to refresh Oliver's to better understand his character arc, and how much he changed during the whole series. I couldn't come up with a better set-up even if you paid me, and I cannot express how much I need this book in my life ASAP.
My only problem with this story is how Kevin's mom had some kind of mental breakdown and was sick for 20 years, and suddenly she got new meds and she is *cured*. We can guess it was a deep depression, but... I don't know. I understand it's a sci-fi setting and science works there differently, but somehow both not-curable depression and suddenly-cured depression made me feel uneasy.
However, I'm glad that Kevin got to talk with his mom and be a child for a moment. It was a very well-written moment, that resonated with me and made me want to hug Garin even more.
I received the ARC from the author, and I'm leaving an honest and unbiased review.
Kevin stole my heart and never gave it back. He was attentive to Sazahk's needs, cared about him in a non-apologetic way, and had a no-nonsense approach that never bordered on smothering. He cared, and every time his heart broke a little bit, my heart wept with him.
I'm really happy that he not only got himself a lover but also a group of future friends.
Sazahk was so logical, so smart, and clearly demiromantic, that you can't hate him. Did I want to scream at him sometimes? Oh sure. Intelligent people make bigger mistakes, and I was glad he suffered a little bit at some point in the story - not because he doesn't deserve love and everything good, mind you! But he needed to fall in love and feel how being alive is. How life goals can be different than just being a good Qesh, or a good biologist, or a good scientist.
I like how this story was a little bit angst-y, but never too much. Both protagonists had clear goals in their minds, but they also learned together how to be good individuals and understanding partners. The miscommunication was present, but never crossed the line of that-irritating-plot-device, and I highly appreciate that. The author did a very good job of maintaining the characters' differences but not breaking the believability of their decisions just for the sake of the plot.
I love how Garin has a nickname "tight ass", how he loves being broken from pleasure at the hands of his lover, and how he can find freedom only in submission to Sazahk. Every love-making scene was hotter than the previous one, and I love that too.
I cannot wait for Dominic's story, and I need to refresh Oliver's to better understand his character arc, and how much he changed during the whole series. I couldn't come up with a better set-up even if you paid me, and I cannot express how much I need this book in my life ASAP.
My only problem with this story is how Kevin's mom had some kind of mental breakdown and was sick for 20 years, and suddenly she got new meds and she is *cured*. We can guess it was a deep depression, but... I don't know. I understand it's a sci-fi setting and science works there differently, but somehow both not-curable depression and suddenly-cured depression made me feel uneasy.
However, I'm glad that Kevin got to talk with his mom and be a child for a moment. It was a very well-written moment, that resonated with me and made me want to hug Garin even more.
I received the ARC from the author, and I'm leaving an honest and unbiased review.
August 17, 2024
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 5 in the Intersprecies Alliances series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read the previous books before this one. There is an on-going story arc through all the books that is not recapped here. You nned to know what happened before.
We met Sazahk in a previous book, but I don't recall meeting Garin before. Garin is Dominic Turner's bodyguard. Sazahk is Serihk's brother. Garin is tasked with escorting Sazahk into the Dead Zone to see if there is any sign of life there, a millenia after the Qesh destroyed it. Falling into boiling puddles, deadling with a rather embarassing reaction to toxic funghi and finding a cute little thing where no-one expected there to be an fauna, and the two become close. But Garin has family responsibilties and Sazahk is no good for any one.
I loved this, I really did!
Garin and Sazahk have reactions to close proximity with each other. Garin knows what they are , but Sazahk is a little mistified by them. His scientist brain wants to test Garin's reactions to everything, even his touch. But Sazahk has some scars he doesn't want Garin to see, some physical but mostly emotional. It takes another near death experience for them to be honest with each other. But then Sazahk, the stoopidist most brilliant Qesh in the whole universe, makes a decision for Garin that he should not have! He does redeem himself, beautifully though!
I loved that we caught up with Patrick, Fal'ran, Bar'in and Tar, but also Serihk, and Dominic, and the Insect Prince Hyg.
And it's Dominic's book that is next and I've been waiting for so long for it! Admittedly, I wasn't quite expecting his book to be the last, and I probably didn't see him with the person that he gets. It's all laid out for you here, so I'm not spoilering that for you!
I can't fault this, nor the series as a whole. It's been fully engaging right from the start!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 5 in the Intersprecies Alliances series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read the previous books before this one. There is an on-going story arc through all the books that is not recapped here. You nned to know what happened before.
We met Sazahk in a previous book, but I don't recall meeting Garin before. Garin is Dominic Turner's bodyguard. Sazahk is Serihk's brother. Garin is tasked with escorting Sazahk into the Dead Zone to see if there is any sign of life there, a millenia after the Qesh destroyed it. Falling into boiling puddles, deadling with a rather embarassing reaction to toxic funghi and finding a cute little thing where no-one expected there to be an fauna, and the two become close. But Garin has family responsibilties and Sazahk is no good for any one.
I loved this, I really did!
Garin and Sazahk have reactions to close proximity with each other. Garin knows what they are , but Sazahk is a little mistified by them. His scientist brain wants to test Garin's reactions to everything, even his touch. But Sazahk has some scars he doesn't want Garin to see, some physical but mostly emotional. It takes another near death experience for them to be honest with each other. But then Sazahk, the stoopidist most brilliant Qesh in the whole universe, makes a decision for Garin that he should not have! He does redeem himself, beautifully though!
I loved that we caught up with Patrick, Fal'ran, Bar'in and Tar, but also Serihk, and Dominic, and the Insect Prince Hyg.
And it's Dominic's book that is next and I've been waiting for so long for it! Admittedly, I wasn't quite expecting his book to be the last, and I probably didn't see him with the person that he gets. It's all laid out for you here, so I'm not spoilering that for you!
I can't fault this, nor the series as a whole. It's been fully engaging right from the start!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
August 14, 2024
At the end of each installment in this series, I think, almost fear, that the next one won’t be as brilliant as the one I just finished, or that I won’t love the next couple as the current one, and each time, Eryn Ivers astounds me and outdoes herself!
The Alien Scientist, as the previous books, is a perfect combination of world-building, sci-fi and romance: we meet again Sazahk, the qesh scientist we’ve come to know and love in The Alien Soldier, and Garin, the bodyguard at first of Oliver, then Dominic Turner.
While we’ve already met Sazahk, the book delves deeper in his past and the demons he’s battling against. Garin, instead, is like a new character since in the previous books he’s not much more than an extra. I loved how, in the previous books, we saw Garin through other characters’ eyes, and instead in this book the author shows us who he really is, and how much kinder and wholesome his character is.
And what to say about Sazahk and Garin together? Their chemistry is off the charts from the beginning, but I loved to see both characters’ struggle in recognizing and accepting their feelings, also considering the other responsibilities they have in their life.
As I previously said, what I love about this series is that even if the romance has a central part in the story, the world-building is still top-notch and the overall plot-line is not overlooked at all: the science and the politics are always in the background, but not too much. They are always a perfect counterpoint to the romance.
I cannot wait for Dom’s book now! His story will be the last installment in this series and I already know I will miss this world and all these characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Alien Scientist, as the previous books, is a perfect combination of world-building, sci-fi and romance: we meet again Sazahk, the qesh scientist we’ve come to know and love in The Alien Soldier, and Garin, the bodyguard at first of Oliver, then Dominic Turner.
While we’ve already met Sazahk, the book delves deeper in his past and the demons he’s battling against. Garin, instead, is like a new character since in the previous books he’s not much more than an extra. I loved how, in the previous books, we saw Garin through other characters’ eyes, and instead in this book the author shows us who he really is, and how much kinder and wholesome his character is.
And what to say about Sazahk and Garin together? Their chemistry is off the charts from the beginning, but I loved to see both characters’ struggle in recognizing and accepting their feelings, also considering the other responsibilities they have in their life.
As I previously said, what I love about this series is that even if the romance has a central part in the story, the world-building is still top-notch and the overall plot-line is not overlooked at all: the science and the politics are always in the background, but not too much. They are always a perfect counterpoint to the romance.
I cannot wait for Dom’s book now! His story will be the last installment in this series and I already know I will miss this world and all these characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 27, 2024
The Alien Scientist is a sci-fi MM romance by Eryn Ivers.
This is book five of the Interspecies Alliances series. I've not read any of the other books and decided to take a chance on this one. While I really did enjoy the book, and there is plenty of background context, I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed this a whole lot more if I had read the previous books. For this reason, I have rated this 3.5* rounded up to 4*.
Independent loner, brilliant and exiled alien scientist, Sazahk, has been tasked with the dangerous job of rehabilitating land that is ear marked for settlement of dangerous alien species that is joining the alliance. Because of his mission, Sazahk has been assigned a human bodyguard, ex-military man Kevin Garin. Kevin works hard and most of his motivation is to support his three younger siblings and their sick mother, who needs some very expensive medication so that she can function.
Together, Sazahk and Kevin start a classic enemies to lovers kind of story. There is plenty of peril and mystery in the universe, as this dynamic duo try to find where they fit as their families change, as well as having to consider how they fit together. I enjoyed the complexity and development of both these characters. Even though Kevin is the softer of the two, there is a lot going on in the minds that needs to be picked through. It's picking through these details that the chemistry between Sazahk and Kevin becomes more obvious.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is book five of the Interspecies Alliances series. I've not read any of the other books and decided to take a chance on this one. While I really did enjoy the book, and there is plenty of background context, I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed this a whole lot more if I had read the previous books. For this reason, I have rated this 3.5* rounded up to 4*.
Independent loner, brilliant and exiled alien scientist, Sazahk, has been tasked with the dangerous job of rehabilitating land that is ear marked for settlement of dangerous alien species that is joining the alliance. Because of his mission, Sazahk has been assigned a human bodyguard, ex-military man Kevin Garin. Kevin works hard and most of his motivation is to support his three younger siblings and their sick mother, who needs some very expensive medication so that she can function.
Together, Sazahk and Kevin start a classic enemies to lovers kind of story. There is plenty of peril and mystery in the universe, as this dynamic duo try to find where they fit as their families change, as well as having to consider how they fit together. I enjoyed the complexity and development of both these characters. Even though Kevin is the softer of the two, there is a lot going on in the minds that needs to be picked through. It's picking through these details that the chemistry between Sazahk and Kevin becomes more obvious.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 22, 2024
Truly excellent entry in an established beloved sci-fi series. The main characters’ circumstances and emotional turmoil don’t take overpower the bubbling relationship which could easily happen in a series with a lot of interplanetary conflict. Their private motivations add needed guardrails to the pace of their growing bond which make their interactions believable. There’s no love at first sight, easy entanglement nonsense, but there are some light hearted tropes that play out in delightful ways. The returning characters add a needed dose of levity when the pairing isn’t living out of each other’s pockets.
This pairing’s romance felt more tactical and plotting than like a traditional give and take, getting-to-know-you story. That being said, that made the initial awkward (and hilarious) intimate scenes all the more endearing. Once the hot and heavy scenes are laid out, their easier interactions feel all the more rewarding. By the end it’s that much easier to cheer the oblivious duo on.
I liked the overall world mapped out in this series, so getting to know more characters on the many sides of the large scale conflict was just as interesting as the main pairing’s interpersonal fumbling.
There were a lot of callbacks to the first book in the series Alien Emissary and characters from Alien Bodyguard and Alien Soldier were major players in the narrative. I enjoyed the opportunity to see them work with and against each other, but missed the torvars I had grown attached to in Alien Infiltrator and Alien Medic. Maybe with some luck, we will hear from them again.
This pairing’s romance felt more tactical and plotting than like a traditional give and take, getting-to-know-you story. That being said, that made the initial awkward (and hilarious) intimate scenes all the more endearing. Once the hot and heavy scenes are laid out, their easier interactions feel all the more rewarding. By the end it’s that much easier to cheer the oblivious duo on.
I liked the overall world mapped out in this series, so getting to know more characters on the many sides of the large scale conflict was just as interesting as the main pairing’s interpersonal fumbling.
There were a lot of callbacks to the first book in the series Alien Emissary and characters from Alien Bodyguard and Alien Soldier were major players in the narrative. I enjoyed the opportunity to see them work with and against each other, but missed the torvars I had grown attached to in Alien Infiltrator and Alien Medic. Maybe with some luck, we will hear from them again.
August 11, 2024
The Alien Scientist is book 5 in the Interspecies Alliances series (or book 6 if you were there for ‘The Alien Emissary’ which was briefly book 1 according to the copy I have got). The series is linked by events and sometimes characters but more often than not new characters are also introduced who have their own issues or projects to solve. The new character here is the qesh scientist Sazahk, Emissary Serihk’s brother. Kevin Garin is given the job of protecting Sazahk on a scientific mission into the Qesha Dead Zone. Garin was Oliver Turner’s bodyguard in ‘The Alien Bodyguard’ although the human one and not the alien one.
The two do not get off to a good start but respect and trust are slowly earned along the way to solve a problem inherited from the previous book ‘The Alien Soldier’. There are more problems to overcome before the two’s feelings for each other blossom into something more.
The story fits nicely into the ‘world of Interspecies Alliances’. Some of the elements of ‘The Alien Emissary’ are revisited in terms of the metal tentacles and their part in ‘physical’ encounters, which adds to the slightly kinky feel of the series. What is more significant is the complexity of the characters. The main characters are three dimensional with their own set of quirks and standards. How they compromise and take time to understand each other is something to behold. Sazahk is amazing as he goes about his life investigating and analysing just about everything. It is fun to watch his detachment unravel in the face of Garin’s protective and caring nature.
A great read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The two do not get off to a good start but respect and trust are slowly earned along the way to solve a problem inherited from the previous book ‘The Alien Soldier’. There are more problems to overcome before the two’s feelings for each other blossom into something more.
The story fits nicely into the ‘world of Interspecies Alliances’. Some of the elements of ‘The Alien Emissary’ are revisited in terms of the metal tentacles and their part in ‘physical’ encounters, which adds to the slightly kinky feel of the series. What is more significant is the complexity of the characters. The main characters are three dimensional with their own set of quirks and standards. How they compromise and take time to understand each other is something to behold. Sazahk is amazing as he goes about his life investigating and analysing just about everything. It is fun to watch his detachment unravel in the face of Garin’s protective and caring nature.
A great read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 27, 2024
3.5 stars
Kevin Garin (henceforth, Garin) is focused, organized, and self-sacrificing. He loves his family and is confident in his ability to protect the disgraced Qesh scientist Sazakh. He's not prepared for the logical, almost Spock-like character of the alien, nor for his immediate and increasingly overwhelming attraction to him. Sazakh, for his part, has not felt the need for anyone for ten years and dissects every emotion that Garin draws from him, as well as every reaction from his bodyguard, as though each event, each moment was an experiment, a puzzle to solve. For him, the way they come to feel for each other due to forced proximity and the possibility of danger provide almost lab-like opportunities to test his hypotheses in order to figure out what his and Garin's feelings mean. I wasn't a fan of his for the first third of the book, despite how much I enjoyed his analytical, clinical thinking and speech. Thankfully, he redeemed himself over and over. Their frequent miscommunications were extra frustrating because of his awkwardness and rationality. Blessings on Garin's mom, who freed him from the sense of obligation that had kept him from pursuing his dreams and gave him the push he needed to fix what remained broken between them to the bitter end. I wish I could round it up, but I finally got frustrated with the repeated misunderstandings that could so easily have been remedied.
Kevin Garin (henceforth, Garin) is focused, organized, and self-sacrificing. He loves his family and is confident in his ability to protect the disgraced Qesh scientist Sazakh. He's not prepared for the logical, almost Spock-like character of the alien, nor for his immediate and increasingly overwhelming attraction to him. Sazakh, for his part, has not felt the need for anyone for ten years and dissects every emotion that Garin draws from him, as well as every reaction from his bodyguard, as though each event, each moment was an experiment, a puzzle to solve. For him, the way they come to feel for each other due to forced proximity and the possibility of danger provide almost lab-like opportunities to test his hypotheses in order to figure out what his and Garin's feelings mean. I wasn't a fan of his for the first third of the book, despite how much I enjoyed his analytical, clinical thinking and speech. Thankfully, he redeemed himself over and over. Their frequent miscommunications were extra frustrating because of his awkwardness and rationality. Blessings on Garin's mom, who freed him from the sense of obligation that had kept him from pursuing his dreams and gave him the push he needed to fix what remained broken between them to the bitter end. I wish I could round it up, but I finally got frustrated with the repeated misunderstandings that could so easily have been remedied.
August 13, 2024
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Ahhhhhhhhhh i love the world Ivers has created here! This being the 5th book, i was very happy that i didn't feel overwhelmed getting back into this series, as it's been a while since i've read any of these books. i love that everything i need to know the story provides, and that each book touches on what went down earlier throughout the series!
From Page 1 of The Alien Scientist I was instantly transported to another world that's wild and thrilling and wondrous! As always, i found all the characters marvelous and engaging, the falling-in-love sweet and sincere, the plot action dynamic and highly entertaining, and i could not get enough of THIS!
This series is like a SciFi throw back and comfort hug in one. It gives me warm and fuzzy vibes and i'm so happy i discovered Eryn Ivers when i did!
I love everything about Interspecies Alliances and i'm so sad that it's almost over! There's still more to come though and i'm sure the last book is going to be just as brilliant and fun as all the rest! Can't wait!
Ahhhhhhhhhh i love the world Ivers has created here! This being the 5th book, i was very happy that i didn't feel overwhelmed getting back into this series, as it's been a while since i've read any of these books. i love that everything i need to know the story provides, and that each book touches on what went down earlier throughout the series!
From Page 1 of The Alien Scientist I was instantly transported to another world that's wild and thrilling and wondrous! As always, i found all the characters marvelous and engaging, the falling-in-love sweet and sincere, the plot action dynamic and highly entertaining, and i could not get enough of THIS!
This series is like a SciFi throw back and comfort hug in one. It gives me warm and fuzzy vibes and i'm so happy i discovered Eryn Ivers when i did!
I love everything about Interspecies Alliances and i'm so sad that it's almost over! There's still more to come though and i'm sure the last book is going to be just as brilliant and fun as all the rest! Can't wait!
August 18, 2024
Kevin Garin is currently the bodyguard to Dominic Turner. He is not sure what to think when Dom wants him to escort Sazahk to the Qeshian Dead Zone. Sazahk is an incredible scientist who was disgraced in the past. He has a chance to redeem himself and regain his losses with this visit. As their journey commences, Sazahk is annoyed that Garin is with him. Garin is no less annoyed as he feels like an unwanted babysitter. However, near death experiences find the two forming a grudging respect for each other. As that respect morphs into more, the two must fight trauma and insecurities as well as responsibilities if they want a lasting relationship.
Sazahk is a fantastic main character. His method of trying to scientifically analyze and/or explain everything made for wonderful conversations and thoughts. Garin was truly admirable as he took care of his family and made sure all their needs were met. He was not sure what to think when he began to enjoy those conversation with Sazahk. Unfortunately, those conversations did not include clarity. Neither man was sure what the other wanted and felt. It made for great reading. The warring nations seem to be looking toward some resolution. We shall see what the future brings. Do not miss this story in Interspecies Alliances.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my very own opinion.
Sazahk is a fantastic main character. His method of trying to scientifically analyze and/or explain everything made for wonderful conversations and thoughts. Garin was truly admirable as he took care of his family and made sure all their needs were met. He was not sure what to think when he began to enjoy those conversation with Sazahk. Unfortunately, those conversations did not include clarity. Neither man was sure what the other wanted and felt. It made for great reading. The warring nations seem to be looking toward some resolution. We shall see what the future brings. Do not miss this story in Interspecies Alliances.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and this is my very own opinion.
August 2, 2024
I have loved every book in this series and this book is absolutely no exception. 10/10 would recommend.
Garin and Sazahk were well rounded characters. with a bonfire of chemistry between them. Each had a personality and character traits that gave them a distinct voice that made it easy to follow along. I also liked that even though they had amazingly hot sex their emotional bond was just as good, if not better. The way they both fumbled about and came together slowly gave their story a depth I really appreciated.
I also really freaking enjoyed learning more about the deadzone. Sazahk was fascinated by everything, and I really can't blame him. Garin *tried* his best to be cautious but ... that didn't always work out well for him.
I'm excited for the next book. Dom managed to redeem himself in this one and I hope he gets a happy ending too.
Garin and Sazahk were well rounded characters. with a bonfire of chemistry between them. Each had a personality and character traits that gave them a distinct voice that made it easy to follow along. I also liked that even though they had amazingly hot sex their emotional bond was just as good, if not better. The way they both fumbled about and came together slowly gave their story a depth I really appreciated.
I also really freaking enjoyed learning more about the deadzone. Sazahk was fascinated by everything, and I really can't blame him. Garin *tried* his best to be cautious but ... that didn't always work out well for him.
I'm excited for the next book. Dom managed to redeem himself in this one and I hope he gets a happy ending too.
June 2, 2025
A great take on analytical love!
Sazahk is a scientist all day, everyday. His inner thoughts as he aides Garin in the Dead Zone are epic! He learns how to please him like a well tuned instrument. Garin is the experienced soldier with a ton of family baggage. He is quintessential, dependable older child who is forced to grow up to fast. I loved their time alone in the Dead Zone and Sazahk’s “as a matter of fact” way of speaking was great. They make a very believable couple and I was happy to see both of them redeem themselves towards the end. Sazahk’s pardon and relationship building with his brother was also great.
4 stars and not 5 because Garin’s family burden felt unnecessary. I wish we would have met his family without all his self-inflicted responsibilities. I would have replaced those scenes with more of Garin and Sazahk as an official couple or with more of the Insects.
Overall, looking forward to the final book! Dominic and the Insect Leader should be an interesting read!
Sazahk is a scientist all day, everyday. His inner thoughts as he aides Garin in the Dead Zone are epic! He learns how to please him like a well tuned instrument. Garin is the experienced soldier with a ton of family baggage. He is quintessential, dependable older child who is forced to grow up to fast. I loved their time alone in the Dead Zone and Sazahk’s “as a matter of fact” way of speaking was great. They make a very believable couple and I was happy to see both of them redeem themselves towards the end. Sazahk’s pardon and relationship building with his brother was also great.
4 stars and not 5 because Garin’s family burden felt unnecessary. I wish we would have met his family without all his self-inflicted responsibilities. I would have replaced those scenes with more of Garin and Sazahk as an official couple or with more of the Insects.
Overall, looking forward to the final book! Dominic and the Insect Leader should be an interesting read!
August 15, 2024
Do relationships formed under crisis, ever work? Excellent series. Sazahk, is a disgraced biologist who lacks social skills in relationships. Garin, is a Vet bodyguard who works by the book and according to the plan. They are sent to the Dead Zone so Sazahk can conduct experiments researching the probablilty of life after destruction. Sazahk, struggles to work with Garin allowing him to call the shots failing to logically or rationally obey in blind faith considering the heavy baggage he carries from his past. As they are thrown into life altering crisis, feelings and perspectives change. Feelings are engaged and decisions and choices must be made. There are some hysterical moments during the quest and the lack of communication add to it. Garin and Sazahk are likeable and funny. Good story. Interesting supporting characters, nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 5, 2024
I received a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I love this series so much! This was an excellent entry, and delightfully long (though I would have read quite a bit more). I’m unsure if it’s intentional, but Sazahk was incredibly relatable to me as an autistic person, so I loved him as a character. Both of the main characters have complicated backstories that affect their present relationship struggles, and do deal with a fair bit of miscommunication, but it is fascinating in the way that it does not actually keep them apart and their relationship continues to grow through it, even when it’s not quite romantic. The spicy scenes are also excellent, and the science fascinating as well. This author does not skimp on the sci-fi part of this romance and I love that!
I can’t wait to find out what happens to (I assume) Dom in the next book!
I love this series so much! This was an excellent entry, and delightfully long (though I would have read quite a bit more). I’m unsure if it’s intentional, but Sazahk was incredibly relatable to me as an autistic person, so I loved him as a character. Both of the main characters have complicated backstories that affect their present relationship struggles, and do deal with a fair bit of miscommunication, but it is fascinating in the way that it does not actually keep them apart and their relationship continues to grow through it, even when it’s not quite romantic. The spicy scenes are also excellent, and the science fascinating as well. This author does not skimp on the sci-fi part of this romance and I love that!
I can’t wait to find out what happens to (I assume) Dom in the next book!
August 14, 2024
I loved The Alien Scientist by Eryn Ivers. The slow-burn romance between Sazahk, the brilliant but disgraced qeshian scientist, and Kevin Garin, the tough ex-soldier, had me hooked from the start. Their journey from mutual dislike to undeniable chemistry was so well done, and that moment when Garin falls into the unknown fungi—wow, it was intense! It changes everything.
The sci-fi elements are immersive, but it’s the emotional connection between these two that stands out. Ivers perfectly balances the tension of their mission with the growing bond between Sazahk and Garin. This book is such a great read—full of adventure, slow-burn romance, and moments that will stick with you long after you finish. Highly recommend!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The sci-fi elements are immersive, but it’s the emotional connection between these two that stands out. Ivers perfectly balances the tension of their mission with the growing bond between Sazahk and Garin. This book is such a great read—full of adventure, slow-burn romance, and moments that will stick with you long after you finish. Highly recommend!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 16, 2024
This is such a great series and I'm gutted this is the second to last book, even though it makes sense in the overall scope. Eryn has such an excellent way of bringing the characters and the worlds to life and really making you connect with them. The sci fi elements in these books are great, and the planetary flora is fascination (is fungi flora?), and I'm forever fascinated with alien culture. However, the characters really are the best bit in the way they grow, both individually and together, over the course of the book. Like the others in this series, both characters have personal history and trauma to overcome, but it never gets too bogged down in the angst. Definitely looking forward to seeing how Dominic gets on in the next book, he surely made progress in his redemption arc in this book.
August 24, 2024
This is a bit of a low-burn romance and adventure book with a bit of a nerd/jock trope. The plot is interesting enough, but the feelings and deep exploration of characters takes more center stage, at least for me. Turns out, the jock is a lot more sensitive than expected and the nerd has some real backbone. Their characters were a lot more complicated and deeper than expected, which was very intriguing. This is a long book, but the writing is good and carries it through. I haven't read all of the previous books, so many plot hints were a bit lost on me, and the character references too, but the plot is still understandable enough. For full experience, one should probably read them though. I still enjoyed the story and the characters.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
August 13, 2024
Garin, Dom's bodyguard is sent into the Dead Zone to protect a curt Qeshian scientist Sazahk, Emissary Serihk's younger brother. They get on together like oil and water until several events force them together. The loss of a sleeping bag and the necessity for carnal activity after an exposure awakens awareness, forced proximity and mutual desire. I love Sazahk's formal, wordy speech and his relating everything to experiments as Garin tries to pacify him. I also love strong, manly Garin taking a back seat in their activities. I've enjoyed all the books of this series and love this Other World that Eryn built. I hope she continues with more, always introducing new characters. I received a copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion.
August 14, 2024
This is one of my favorite books in this series (gentle note that this story is part of a series and while the relationship works as a standalone it’s a good idea to start at the beginning for context on the world these characters inhabit, which is nuanced and worth experiencing in all its complexity). I loved both Kevin Garin and Sazhak as individuals, and it was easy to root for the relationship that builds between them, which has some familiar tropes and some surprises as well. I’m a sucker for a less-than-stellar first impression that evolves into something deeper, and among myriad other things, we get that here. Well worth a read.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
August 15, 2024
Still waters run deep
Kevin and Sazahk want absolutely nothing to do with one another after their initial meeting.
Unfortunately for them both, circumstances beyond their control forces them to work in close quarters.
Each has a world of secrets weighing them down that they're both determined to shoulder alone.
I really grew frustrated at times with them both because they could have saved themselves so much hassle if they just gave a little and actually talked to one another.
That animosity soon turns into a raging inferno of passion as they’re forced into even closer proximity in order to survive.
Kevin and Sazahk want absolutely nothing to do with one another after their initial meeting.
Unfortunately for them both, circumstances beyond their control forces them to work in close quarters.
Each has a world of secrets weighing them down that they're both determined to shoulder alone.
I really grew frustrated at times with them both because they could have saved themselves so much hassle if they just gave a little and actually talked to one another.
That animosity soon turns into a raging inferno of passion as they’re forced into even closer proximity in order to survive.
August 16, 2024
We finally got Sazahk’s story and were definitely delivered an instant connection with Kevin! The story was interesting yet engaging, spontaneous yet planned, never leaving the reader too anxious waiting for the next scene.
Sazahk and Kevin’s passion for each other was evident throughout this story. It was fulfilling to experience Sazahk’s character changes within himself, feeling desire for another and the explosive scenes were everything! Eryn never disappoints when it comes to writing the most compelling interpretation of sexual content either, though I was a bit disappointed their rejoining was not detailed.
Sazahk and Kevin’s passion for each other was evident throughout this story. It was fulfilling to experience Sazahk’s character changes within himself, feeling desire for another and the explosive scenes were everything! Eryn never disappoints when it comes to writing the most compelling interpretation of sexual content either, though I was a bit disappointed their rejoining was not detailed.
August 19, 2024
This is a continuing series of books that continue to entertain. The story kept my attention from page one and I didn't want to put it down when life interrupted. Sazahk and Kevin have great chemistry. Their sexy times were very creative and hot. The world and character building continue to expand and is well described. Things come to light that give us an understanding of why Sazahk is like he is. I really liked Sazahk's straight from the hip way of communicating. I like that Kevin is loyal as that is something I think a lot of people lack. I highly recommend this book, this series and this author.
September 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this story! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention the entire time. I really loved getting to know Sazahk more in this one. This is the fifth book in the series and while it follows a new main character, Sazahk, the series really is best if read in order and if you have read the previous books as they do introduce the characters prior to and the action really leads from one to the other. Sazahk is on a research mission to figure out if they can make the Dead Zone inhabitable for the Insect species with a shaky truth being called while this is determined. Otherwise it is invasion and war on the horizon if they can't find a planet/location for the Insects to settle down. I really enjoyed getting to see Sazahk on a deeper level and getting to know what was happening in his mind more. Kevin Garin ends up being shifted/loaned out of his bodyguard duty and moved to Quesha to protect Sazahk so he can do longer and farther excursion into the dead zone. It puts them in close contact and forced proximity as they have to be close and together and they are the only ones out there. They also have a few incidents/malfunctions that puts them in even closer quarters of sharing the same sleeping bag. They are not fans of each other after the first meeting but with the forced proximity they start seeing a little deeper and things start to change a little. Things are also dangerous and Sazahk has a scientific mind and wants to get close and touch and explore without always taking into account the dangers. I enjoyed watching things develop between them. There is enough story and time in the story for it to really be developed and to watch that change and it all feel genuine and not rushed. Communication and expression of feelings is definitely something that takes both time as Sazahk has a very scientific brain so the way things come out don't always express the emotion of it all and both are trying to be respectful and not push boundaries or make the other uncomfortable knowing their they are stuck in close proximity. I really enjoy the complexity that is given to the characters and the story throughout the whole series, not just this one. This was really well done and I really enjoyed it.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
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