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Extra! Extraterrestrial #1
You're Not My King!
Reuben Carter
Throwing myself in front of my estranged sister didn’t win me any brownie points. It did, however, grant me one alien abduction and a cozy cell on an actual-freaking-spaceship, where I’m being poked and prepped for relocation to some backwater trading planet, then sold to the highest bidder—how’s that for a hero’s reward?
My escape plans hit a snag when Vo’ak, the hot and arrogant lizard king, buys me the second I land. There’s no denying our serious chemistry, but I gotta get back to the familiarity of Earth, where free will kinda exists and I’m no one's pet. However, chasing the comfort of old memories starts feeling like an unnecessary fixation, and I must decide what “home” really means before making any more stupid mistakes.
Vo'ak
As Great Leader of U'suhk, I am bound by duty to protect my kind and territory. The traitorous Northern Clan—a thorn in my side—forces me closer to war each day, but now, with the honor of a mate-bond stirring in my soul, there is an unexpected shift in my attention that cannot be resisted.
My tiny, fragile Roo-bin is a delight and, though lamenting a woeful past, must be claimed. However, his aversion to obedience and ignorance of our customs means protecting him proves a near-impossible task. If I cannot make the sweet, stubborn creature understand the dangers we face, even my plentiful strength and skill may not be enough to keep him safe.
YOU'RE NOT MY KING! is an MM alien romance with language barriers, banter, and barbarian aliens. It features a hot lizard king from the planet U'suhk, and a traumatized little human, who is abducted by accident and forced to become an alien's mate. It’s part of the EXTRA! EXTRATERRESTRIAL shared world with Fae Quin, where each book focuses on its own pair and their HEA. While these stories can act as standalones, it is best to read each author’s books in the order of their publication due to world-building.
If you want to know more about what to expect with this story, visit my website for a full, in-depth content list.
Throwing myself in front of my estranged sister didn’t win me any brownie points. It did, however, grant me one alien abduction and a cozy cell on an actual-freaking-spaceship, where I’m being poked and prepped for relocation to some backwater trading planet, then sold to the highest bidder—how’s that for a hero’s reward?
My escape plans hit a snag when Vo’ak, the hot and arrogant lizard king, buys me the second I land. There’s no denying our serious chemistry, but I gotta get back to the familiarity of Earth, where free will kinda exists and I’m no one's pet. However, chasing the comfort of old memories starts feeling like an unnecessary fixation, and I must decide what “home” really means before making any more stupid mistakes.
Vo'ak
As Great Leader of U'suhk, I am bound by duty to protect my kind and territory. The traitorous Northern Clan—a thorn in my side—forces me closer to war each day, but now, with the honor of a mate-bond stirring in my soul, there is an unexpected shift in my attention that cannot be resisted.
My tiny, fragile Roo-bin is a delight and, though lamenting a woeful past, must be claimed. However, his aversion to obedience and ignorance of our customs means protecting him proves a near-impossible task. If I cannot make the sweet, stubborn creature understand the dangers we face, even my plentiful strength and skill may not be enough to keep him safe.
YOU'RE NOT MY KING! is an MM alien romance with language barriers, banter, and barbarian aliens. It features a hot lizard king from the planet U'suhk, and a traumatized little human, who is abducted by accident and forced to become an alien's mate. It’s part of the EXTRA! EXTRATERRESTRIAL shared world with Fae Quin, where each book focuses on its own pair and their HEA. While these stories can act as standalones, it is best to read each author’s books in the order of their publication due to world-building.
If you want to know more about what to expect with this story, visit my website for a full, in-depth content list.
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First published April 12, 2024
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September 4, 2024
definitely MY king
do i really need to tell you guys again how much i’d like to fuck an alien i love alien romance?
doesn’t matter, i’ll say it again.
rueben, my dude, what a comedian. whoever told him he doesn’t have any kind of talent must have a shitty sense of humor.
erin did a wonderful job with his character. i genuinely loved being in his head.
but yes, of course, the new love of my life is the hunky alien whose name i won’t even try to write and i’m too lazy to copy and paste (hey, rueben was too lazy to escape, that’s worse). what’s it with hunky, a bit dumb, protective, owners of a foot long cock smitten with their humans aliens???? they completely fuck my brain up. like a drug. i need more.
more specifically the next book write fast erin please and thank you.
yeah, the last part was predictable but who cares? i sure don’t. i’m happy with my alien hunk.
i read an arc and you definitely don’t need to wonder if this is an honest opinion
do i really need to tell you guys again how much
doesn’t matter, i’ll say it again.
rueben, my dude, what a comedian. whoever told him he doesn’t have any kind of talent must have a shitty sense of humor.
erin did a wonderful job with his character. i genuinely loved being in his head.
but yes, of course, the new love of my life is the hunky alien whose name i won’t even try to write and i’m too lazy to copy and paste (hey, rueben was too lazy to escape, that’s worse). what’s it with hunky, a bit dumb, protective,
more specifically the next book write fast erin please and thank you.
yeah, the last part was predictable but who cares? i sure don’t. i’m happy with my alien hunk.
i read an arc and you definitely don’t need to wonder if this is an honest opinion
April 13, 2024
I was pretty sure being abducted by aliens hadn’t been on my bingo card for the year.
i put it in my bingo card every year but it never happens😔
i put it in my bingo card every year but it never happens😔
May 26, 2025
The good:
- Vo'ak.
Vo'ak is the King of the Ly'zrd people on planet U'suhk. Vo'ak may be cocky as hell, but he's also fair, brave, kind, and gentle. He's far more patient with Reuben than Reuben deserves.
- The world building.
U'suhk is a small, "primitive" planet without tech and some wild fauna and flora, including sentient trees and giant panther-like creatures. The planet is settled by various clans with local chiefs. Humans live on U'suhk and are treated well, although they are taken from Earth without consent.
- The secondary characters.
Fiona, the human healer, is everyone's grandma. Vo'ak's right-hand man Zae'l and Vo'ak's cousin Nie'tr play strong supporting roles.
- The smut.
There's plenty of it. Reuben tries to deny himself Ly'zrd cock, but Vo'ak is sexy af and knows just how to goad and tease Roo until the human capitulates.
- The plot.
The story is a good blend of romance, fantasy, and adventure. I had a lot of fun with this book.
The not so good:
- Reuben.
Reuben is a defensive brat. His whining and complaining irritated me something fierce. Reuben had a shitty life on Earth: abusive ex, drug addiction, not-so-supportive family (although Reuben acknowledges that he lied to and stole from them). His sister was glad to see him go.
In comparison, Vo'ak treats Reuben like a prize. I get that Reuben didn't want to be a submissive mate, but he was downright dismissive of the local culture and customs. He ran hot and cold, and kept plotting an escape.
There's a scene toward the end where Reuben barges into a council meeting, demanding to be heard and disrespecting Vo'ak in front of other leaders, that was cringey and infuriating.
The majority of the story is told from Reuben's POV, and even though he redeemed himself toward the end, I wanted to put him in timeout more than once.
I hope Hawk writes more stories set on U'suhk!
The next book in the series is by Fae Quin, but it's set on another planet, which is too bad.
- Vo'ak.
Vo'ak is the King of the Ly'zrd people on planet U'suhk. Vo'ak may be cocky as hell, but he's also fair, brave, kind, and gentle. He's far more patient with Reuben than Reuben deserves.
- The world building.
U'suhk is a small, "primitive" planet without tech and some wild fauna and flora, including sentient trees and giant panther-like creatures. The planet is settled by various clans with local chiefs. Humans live on U'suhk and are treated well, although they are taken from Earth without consent.
- The secondary characters.
Fiona, the human healer, is everyone's grandma. Vo'ak's right-hand man Zae'l and Vo'ak's cousin Nie'tr play strong supporting roles.
- The smut.
There's plenty of it. Reuben tries to deny himself Ly'zrd cock, but Vo'ak is sexy af and knows just how to goad and tease Roo until the human capitulates.
- The plot.
The story is a good blend of romance, fantasy, and adventure. I had a lot of fun with this book.
The not so good:
- Reuben.
Reuben is a defensive brat. His whining and complaining irritated me something fierce. Reuben had a shitty life on Earth: abusive ex, drug addiction, not-so-supportive family (although Reuben acknowledges that he lied to and stole from them). His sister was glad to see him go.
In comparison, Vo'ak treats Reuben like a prize. I get that Reuben didn't want to be a submissive mate, but he was downright dismissive of the local culture and customs. He ran hot and cold, and kept plotting an escape.
There's a scene toward the end where Reuben barges into a council meeting, demanding to be heard and disrespecting Vo'ak in front of other leaders, that was cringey and infuriating.
The majority of the story is told from Reuben's POV, and even though he redeemed himself toward the end, I wanted to put him in timeout more than once.
I hope Hawk writes more stories set on U'suhk!
The next book in the series is by Fae Quin, but it's set on another planet, which is too bad.
April 10, 2024
⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️
Reuben had a tough life on Earth, why should he expect any different on an alien planet? Well, he certainly didn’t expect to become the Chief’s adored mate.
Oooh, this was perfectly spicy and sweet.
You’re Not My King was such a fun sci-fi/alien romance. A nice balance of smut and love, the typical, but still always fun, danger angsty moments, some cute miscommunication (my fave), and a feisty, broken boy who finds his happy ever after. *lovesick sigh*
Not only was the world-building different enough to stand out and not be too convoluted or messy, but the characters were so full of personality and depth. Roo (and how cute is that nickname?!) had so many layers, and uncovering them all bit by bit was what elevated this read to more than your usual run-of-the-mill alien MM romances.
Vo’ak was the embodiment of everything I love about alien/monster MCs. Tough and powerful and MANLY and hawt. But so tender and sweet with his mate, so caring and adoring and doting. These aliens make me melt every single time.
I also immensely appreciated the EXTENSIVE trigger warning list Eryn Hawk provides, not only mentioning possible triggers but also explaining them and the reasons behind some of them. While I do try to make my lists as complete as possible, if you’re interested in the full one with all the various explanations, I recommend checking out the author’s list directly. That baby was long AF. I cut it down and STILL had to break it up into two.
My rating is probably based on vibes alone, ‘cause I’ll admit this wasn’t an earth-shattering, soul-changing story, but it still kept me captivated the whole way through and I loved every moment with these two. So yeah, total winner in my book.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Alien x human
- Forced marriage/bonding
- Fated mates
- Scenting/scent marking
- Dub-con
- Physical assault
- SA (side character, not MCs)
- Mentions of past domestic abuse
- Jealousy/possessiveness
- MC w/ panic attacks
- Mentions of past drug abuse
- Slavery (humans kidnapped and sold to aliens)
NSFW info (spoilers):
- Size kink & belly bulging
- Knotting
- Rimming & Frotting
- Dry orgasm
- Toys
- Public sex/mild voyeurism
- Edging/orgasm denial
- Breeding kink
- Non-human genitalia
- Strict top/bottom
- Restraints
- Tail play (epilogue)
- Face-fucking (epilogue)
- Heat/rut-like sex (epilogue)
｡･:*˚:✧｡«Being abducted by aliens may not have been on my bingo card for the year, but being loved by one had been written in the fucking stars.»✧˖*°࿐
Reuben had a tough life on Earth, why should he expect any different on an alien planet? Well, he certainly didn’t expect to become the Chief’s adored mate.
Oooh, this was perfectly spicy and sweet.
You’re Not My King was such a fun sci-fi/alien romance. A nice balance of smut and love, the typical, but still always fun, danger angsty moments, some cute miscommunication (my fave), and a feisty, broken boy who finds his happy ever after. *lovesick sigh*
Not only was the world-building different enough to stand out and not be too convoluted or messy, but the characters were so full of personality and depth. Roo (and how cute is that nickname?!) had so many layers, and uncovering them all bit by bit was what elevated this read to more than your usual run-of-the-mill alien MM romances.
In that moment, I could not imagine adoring the perfectly imperfect little Earthling more.
Vo’ak was the embodiment of everything I love about alien/monster MCs. Tough and powerful and MANLY and hawt. But so tender and sweet with his mate, so caring and adoring and doting. These aliens make me melt every single time.
We were like a couple of penguins, and I briefly imagined him scouring the beach to find me the prettiest pebble for our anniversary.
I also immensely appreciated the EXTENSIVE trigger warning list Eryn Hawk provides, not only mentioning possible triggers but also explaining them and the reasons behind some of them. While I do try to make my lists as complete as possible, if you’re interested in the full one with all the various explanations, I recommend checking out the author’s list directly. That baby was long AF. I cut it down and STILL had to break it up into two.
My rating is probably based on vibes alone, ‘cause I’ll admit this wasn’t an earth-shattering, soul-changing story, but it still kept me captivated the whole way through and I loved every moment with these two. So yeah, total winner in my book.
«Christ, love really is a drug, huh?»
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Alien x human
- Forced marriage/bonding
- Fated mates
- Scenting/scent marking
- Dub-con
- Physical assault
- SA (side character, not MCs)
- Mentions of past domestic abuse
- Jealousy/possessiveness
- MC w/ panic attacks
- Mentions of past drug abuse
- Slavery (humans kidnapped and sold to aliens)
NSFW info (spoilers):
- Size kink & belly bulging
- Knotting
- Rimming & Frotting
- Dry orgasm
- Toys
- Public sex/mild voyeurism
- Edging/orgasm denial
- Breeding kink
- Non-human genitalia
- Strict top/bottom
- Restraints
- Tail play (epilogue)
- Face-fucking (epilogue)
- Heat/rut-like sex (epilogue)
Read
November 3, 2025DNF @15% – no rating. Just couldn't connect with it. 🥲
April 2, 2024
3.5 ⭐
- human x alien
- fated mates
- size difference
- fancy peen
Honestly, the three and a half stars are all for Vo'ak because he was a fantastic mate. But Rueben, baby... Why did you try so hard to get back to Earth where no one cared about you AND YOU WERE ABUSED?!!?!?!??! Like U'suhk honestly wasn't that bad and everyone was really nice, just accept that you're finally valued somewhere for once lol sheesh!
I really wanted to like this more than I did, and I'm not saying I hated this, because I didn't, but I never really clicked with the story like I was hoping. That being said, I would definitely read more of the series, because the world and its characters were super interesting. & for all my annoyance with Rueben, he did end up growing on me, and I did enjoy his dynamic with Vo'ak.
- human x alien
- fated mates
- size difference
- fancy peen
Honestly, the three and a half stars are all for Vo'ak because he was a fantastic mate. But Rueben, baby... Why did you try so hard to get back to Earth where no one cared about you AND YOU WERE ABUSED?!!?!?!??! Like U'suhk honestly wasn't that bad and everyone was really nice, just accept that you're finally valued somewhere for once lol sheesh!
I really wanted to like this more than I did, and I'm not saying I hated this, because I didn't, but I never really clicked with the story like I was hoping. That being said, I would definitely read more of the series, because the world and its characters were super interesting. & for all my annoyance with Rueben, he did end up growing on me, and I did enjoy his dynamic with Vo'ak.
April 12, 2024
***3.5 rating***
My reviews these days are brief and short, blame it on adulting.
This was my first read by this author and initially, I was intrigued to read a book by Eryn because this seemed fun and smutty. Don't get me wrong the smut is good, I just expected more because that is what I gathered from the teasers but it felt like it was secondary to the story.
The characters are cute and sweet, and the plot is interesting but I just wish the overall smut was like when they first got together because that was 🥵🌶️.
This had the potential to be a 4-star read but I was promised a great amount of smut and while there was some, it was a bit disappointing that it wasn't as smutty as I had hoped. Don't mind me peeps, if you don't care for smut and want a cute story with some spicy scenes then this one will be to your liking.
I received a complimentary copy of this arc for free and this is my honest opinion/review
My reviews these days are brief and short, blame it on adulting.
This was my first read by this author and initially, I was intrigued to read a book by Eryn because this seemed fun and smutty. Don't get me wrong the smut is good, I just expected more because that is what I gathered from the teasers but it felt like it was secondary to the story.
The characters are cute and sweet, and the plot is interesting but I just wish the overall smut was like when they first got together because that was 🥵🌶️.
This had the potential to be a 4-star read but I was promised a great amount of smut and while there was some, it was a bit disappointing that it wasn't as smutty as I had hoped. Don't mind me peeps, if you don't care for smut and want a cute story with some spicy scenes then this one will be to your liking.
I received a complimentary copy of this arc for free and this is my honest opinion/review
May 1, 2024
*Eternally waiting for the day I get abducted by sexy aliens that just wanna take care of me and rail me six ways to Sunday*
Until that glorious day, I guess I'll just have to settle for living vicariously through amazing stories.
In this particular story, Reuben gets abducted (lucky bastard) and shipped off to the planet of U'suhk which, while technologically primitive, is abundant in natural resources and sexy red lizard aliens (who, by the way, scratch my itchy lizard brain juuust right).
While this is a story that has been told before, Eryn Hawk makes it her own with bright and colorful characters and a fascinating world built on the wonderfully underutilized concept of: just having fun. From the physical attributes to the nomenclature (the pleasure planet F'ukyuu was a particular favorite of mine), she clearly just let her imagination run silly and rampant in the streets and I think the book was all the better for it.
I LOVE when a book feels like you've fallen into a character's stream of consciousness and are just here for the amusingly chaotic loop-de-loop ride. Partly because I particularly like it when authors drop all sense of propriety in favor of letting loose and partly because Reuben's entire inner dialogue sounds exactly like mine. I already enjoy when a book allows me to turn off my brain, so it's even more gratifying when that book's verbiage gives me a feeling of comfortable familiarity.
As far as the plot goes, it had everything that I could've wanted in an alien romance. It's traumatized-broken-boi meets hard-exterior-soft-interior alien with a cinnamon roll heart and y'all knoooow how I feel about broken bois (myyyy preeecciiouuuussss). Vo'ak was fucking adorable and I loved that he was emotionally intelligent & perceptive and not just a primal caveman. Though, his primal parts are nothing to scoff at either - you won't hear me complaining...especially when it comes to anything involving a knot.
If you're looking for all the fun and all the tropes (no thoughts, just vibes) - look no further.
Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5!
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧
Until that glorious day, I guess I'll just have to settle for living vicariously through amazing stories.
In this particular story, Reuben gets abducted (lucky bastard) and shipped off to the planet of U'suhk which, while technologically primitive, is abundant in natural resources and sexy red lizard aliens (who, by the way, scratch my itchy lizard brain juuust right).
While this is a story that has been told before, Eryn Hawk makes it her own with bright and colorful characters and a fascinating world built on the wonderfully underutilized concept of: just having fun. From the physical attributes to the nomenclature (the pleasure planet F'ukyuu was a particular favorite of mine), she clearly just let her imagination run silly and rampant in the streets and I think the book was all the better for it.
I LOVE when a book feels like you've fallen into a character's stream of consciousness and are just here for the amusingly chaotic loop-de-loop ride. Partly because I particularly like it when authors drop all sense of propriety in favor of letting loose and partly because Reuben's entire inner dialogue sounds exactly like mine. I already enjoy when a book allows me to turn off my brain, so it's even more gratifying when that book's verbiage gives me a feeling of comfortable familiarity.
As far as the plot goes, it had everything that I could've wanted in an alien romance. It's traumatized-broken-boi meets hard-exterior-soft-interior alien with a cinnamon roll heart and y'all knoooow how I feel about broken bois (myyyy preeecciiouuuussss). Vo'ak was fucking adorable and I loved that he was emotionally intelligent & perceptive and not just a primal caveman. Though, his primal parts are nothing to scoff at either - you won't hear me complaining...especially when it comes to anything involving a knot.
If you're looking for all the fun and all the tropes (no thoughts, just vibes) - look no further.
Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5!
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧
April 12, 2024
✨ARC REVIEW✨
I am a fan of the "human gets abducted by aliens and gets to live their best life with a hunky alien mate after denying their feelings for 70% of the book".
In fact, I'm still waiting for my abduction. For real. This planet sucks. Take me to U'Suhk *cackles*
So Reuben has been abducted by mistake and ends up in a supposedly backward planet without any technology and inhabited by aliens that look like lizards and sharks...But make them ultra sexy and huge and hunky. The ruler of the lizard people, Vo'ak senses his mate has arrived and whisks Roo away to his village, where he makes him his "husband". Miscom, cultural differences, extremely horny husbands and all the messy and fun shenanigans one can expect from a alien romance ensue. Of course, Vo'ak is the sweetest guy and, even when Reuben has been kidnapped and married off to him, the lizard guy is a consent king (the only way to absolve him, but you know "it's their custom" and such). Thankfully, there's another human in the village to explain things to both Vo'ak and Roo, because things could have been messier.
Reuben is hellbent on going back home, but will alien dick and love get him to stay? Will he brat out at any and all oportunities? (y'all know he will, don't you?)
I loved that this wasnt't overly angsty or dove to deep into alien political issues. It was fun, lighthearted, wholesome and smuty. Alien romance perfection.
I requested the eARC on GRR and this opinions are my own (as you can tell by the utter enthusiasm)
I am a fan of the "human gets abducted by aliens and gets to live their best life with a hunky alien mate after denying their feelings for 70% of the book".
In fact, I'm still waiting for my abduction. For real. This planet sucks. Take me to U'Suhk *cackles*
So Reuben has been abducted by mistake and ends up in a supposedly backward planet without any technology and inhabited by aliens that look like lizards and sharks...But make them ultra sexy and huge and hunky. The ruler of the lizard people, Vo'ak senses his mate has arrived and whisks Roo away to his village, where he makes him his "husband". Miscom, cultural differences, extremely horny husbands and all the messy and fun shenanigans one can expect from a alien romance ensue. Of course, Vo'ak is the sweetest guy and, even when Reuben has been kidnapped and married off to him, the lizard guy is a consent king (the only way to absolve him, but you know "it's their custom" and such). Thankfully, there's another human in the village to explain things to both Vo'ak and Roo, because things could have been messier.
Reuben is hellbent on going back home, but will alien dick and love get him to stay? Will he brat out at any and all oportunities? (y'all know he will, don't you?)
I loved that this wasnt't overly angsty or dove to deep into alien political issues. It was fun, lighthearted, wholesome and smuty. Alien romance perfection.
I requested the eARC on GRR and this opinions are my own (as you can tell by the utter enthusiasm)
April 4, 2024
⭐︎
4.5 stars rounded up!
⭐︎
This is my favorite Eryn Hawk work so far.
Something just clicked with Reuben and Vo'ak that wasn't quite there with the other couples I've read from this author.
Also yes, this author isn't a stranger to supernatural type creatures, but something about Vo'ak, an alien lizard type guy, just worked even better than her Fae creatures in the other series/world.
Reuben is a 26 year old, former drug addict - although would you know it with how he doesn't crave any drugs at all? Nope. - who also lived through an abusive boyfriend, who gets abducted by aliens when he was trying to meet up with his sister, who he had burned bridges with - it seems, a long time ago.
But Reuben was trying to protect his sister, who is a vet, and the aliens who took him like to take very intelligent human beings to be put to work on other, highly technologically advanced planets that need smart minds.
But the aliens don't always get it right, and when that happens, they either send you to a pleasure planet - which is everything the name implies - or a trading planet, where they don't use technology and are still fairly primitive compared to the rest of the universe.
Reuben is sent there, where he is immediately taken to be the Mate to the lizard people's king. The lizard people have clans all over the planet, with chiefs of each clan. But Vo'ak is called the Great Leader of all the lizard people, essentially the king, for all intents and purposes.
The lizard people are known for having Mating bonds, so it isn't new to them or something to resist. But of course us humans don't have anything of the sort, so Reuben is reluctant at first.
Not only that, but he's determined to escape somehow and get back to earth, to try and make amends with his family, which his addiction drove away a long while ago. He want to make things right with them to feel right with himself, essentially. Because he feels immense guilt, all that he did while in the throes of his addiction.
He was in rehab for the past 7 months of the past year, and was just starting to make contact with his family, with his sister. (And yes I know he was in rehab so cravings wouldn't be on the forefront of his mind anymore, but for an addict they'd still have them at times, even little inklings of it, of which Reuben had none. It didn't bother me all that much, but it was just funny that he was supposed to be an addict but never acted like one, even while sober.)
He's resistant to settling on the planet, with Vo'ak, for that very reason. And the whole...he was kidnapped and bought by the lizard people and wasn't free. Which would make anyone unhappy.
But while the lizard people had customs definitely more suited for ancient times in our world, and different ways of doing things, Vo'ak and his people, for the most part, are a kind, welcoming people.
The only reason I tagged dubious consent is mostly for the first time they have sex. Even though Reuben is definitely into it and loves it, he still was bought and sold and isn't entirely free. Also it happens right after he and Vo'ak are mated so that it is known by all who Reuben belongs to, as is their way. Vo'ak treats him wonderfully the whole time and never pushes him, but it is a foregone conclusion that they have to have sex that night. So it's just a very dubious situation.
After that, Vo'ak waits however long it is until Reuben comes to him and asks him for more. One might still see it as not being able to give 100% of his consent until he's free to do as he wishes, but Reuben definitely consents the whole time, and enthusiastically too.
And the lizard people treat the humans very well and let them have free reign where they live. Reuben is just "guarded" by Vo'ak's men for almost the whole book until the end, where they can truly have an equal relationship.
I also loved the possessiveness, that's always fun. Vo'ak saw Reuben as his from the start, and no one was to touch what was his.
My only main reason for .5 stars off is because...honestly, there were long stretches here and there where it was Reuben just doing stuff around the village or with Fiona, an older human lady who had been on the planet for 8 years already, and it didn't quite interest me all the time, and so it made this a little slow at times for me. Mostly in the first half. This really picked up in the second half and I was racing to the finish line compared to how I read the first half.
But I was just wanting more and more Reuben and Vo'ak and when I wasn't getting it, to instead get some mundane stuff with other people and not these two...it dragged at times. Not too badly, but enough that I couldn't give this book the full 5 stars that I wanted to give it.
But it gets points for really picking up in the second half and making the parts where Reuben and Vo'ak weren't together exciting.
And Reuben, while he could be a tad frustrating at times - he just held onto this notion that he was going to leave for a long ass time, and he makes an impulsive decision later in the book that bits him in the ass big time - I understood where he was coming from a lot of the time. And the book made sure to explain his reasoning behind some of his more silly actions.
Such as when he took . But it all works out in the end.
The only truly horrible thing is Cesare, a sweet guy we're introduced to near the end, gets raped, so TW for that. It's not full on graphically shown, but it's kind of like Game of Thrones where you heard Sansa' SA but didn't see it. It's vaguely described as Reuben is subject to hearing it. It's not fully skipped over, but it's not too graphic either. So that is up to you to decide whether to read or not.
It happens at 85%, on pages 281-282 for if anyone wants to avoid that specific part.
Cesare was a sweet guy, and I can't wait for his book with Zae'l. After all he went through, he deserves to be treated amazingly. Also, Reuben is 6 feet tall, and he is considered small amongst these lizard people, as Vo'ak is well over 7 feet, and Zae'l is 9 feet tall or almost 9 feet tall. But Reuben describe Cesare as being fairly short or small, so...if 6 foot Reuben thinks that...he's going to be even tinier compared Zae'l, who is almost or is at 9 feet tall. The size difference will be so delicious! Can't wait 😍
So definitely, highly recommend this. I don't know if everyone will agree to this being the best Eryn Hawk book to date, but it is to me.
I'm so excited about the world she and Fae Quinn have created, and to read more from this series.
Onto the next! 🥰
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
This is my favorite Eryn Hawk work so far.
Something just clicked with Reuben and Vo'ak that wasn't quite there with the other couples I've read from this author.
Also yes, this author isn't a stranger to supernatural type creatures, but something about Vo'ak, an alien lizard type guy, just worked even better than her Fae creatures in the other series/world.
Reuben is a 26 year old, former drug addict - although would you know it with how he doesn't crave any drugs at all? Nope. - who also lived through an abusive boyfriend, who gets abducted by aliens when he was trying to meet up with his sister, who he had burned bridges with - it seems, a long time ago.
But Reuben was trying to protect his sister, who is a vet, and the aliens who took him like to take very intelligent human beings to be put to work on other, highly technologically advanced planets that need smart minds.
But the aliens don't always get it right, and when that happens, they either send you to a pleasure planet - which is everything the name implies - or a trading planet, where they don't use technology and are still fairly primitive compared to the rest of the universe.
Reuben is sent there, where he is immediately taken to be the Mate to the lizard people's king. The lizard people have clans all over the planet, with chiefs of each clan. But Vo'ak is called the Great Leader of all the lizard people, essentially the king, for all intents and purposes.
The lizard people are known for having Mating bonds, so it isn't new to them or something to resist. But of course us humans don't have anything of the sort, so Reuben is reluctant at first.
Not only that, but he's determined to escape somehow and get back to earth, to try and make amends with his family, which his addiction drove away a long while ago. He want to make things right with them to feel right with himself, essentially. Because he feels immense guilt, all that he did while in the throes of his addiction.
He was in rehab for the past 7 months of the past year, and was just starting to make contact with his family, with his sister. (And yes I know he was in rehab so cravings wouldn't be on the forefront of his mind anymore, but for an addict they'd still have them at times, even little inklings of it, of which Reuben had none. It didn't bother me all that much, but it was just funny that he was supposed to be an addict but never acted like one, even while sober.)
He's resistant to settling on the planet, with Vo'ak, for that very reason. And the whole...he was kidnapped and bought by the lizard people and wasn't free. Which would make anyone unhappy.
But while the lizard people had customs definitely more suited for ancient times in our world, and different ways of doing things, Vo'ak and his people, for the most part, are a kind, welcoming people.
The only reason I tagged dubious consent is mostly for the first time they have sex. Even though Reuben is definitely into it and loves it, he still was bought and sold and isn't entirely free. Also it happens right after he and Vo'ak are mated so that it is known by all who Reuben belongs to, as is their way. Vo'ak treats him wonderfully the whole time and never pushes him, but it is a foregone conclusion that they have to have sex that night. So it's just a very dubious situation.
After that, Vo'ak waits however long it is until Reuben comes to him and asks him for more. One might still see it as not being able to give 100% of his consent until he's free to do as he wishes, but Reuben definitely consents the whole time, and enthusiastically too.
And the lizard people treat the humans very well and let them have free reign where they live. Reuben is just "guarded" by Vo'ak's men for almost the whole book until the end, where they can truly have an equal relationship.
I also loved the possessiveness, that's always fun. Vo'ak saw Reuben as his from the start, and no one was to touch what was his.
My only main reason for .5 stars off is because...honestly, there were long stretches here and there where it was Reuben just doing stuff around the village or with Fiona, an older human lady who had been on the planet for 8 years already, and it didn't quite interest me all the time, and so it made this a little slow at times for me. Mostly in the first half. This really picked up in the second half and I was racing to the finish line compared to how I read the first half.
But I was just wanting more and more Reuben and Vo'ak and when I wasn't getting it, to instead get some mundane stuff with other people and not these two...it dragged at times. Not too badly, but enough that I couldn't give this book the full 5 stars that I wanted to give it.
But it gets points for really picking up in the second half and making the parts where Reuben and Vo'ak weren't together exciting.
And Reuben, while he could be a tad frustrating at times - he just held onto this notion that he was going to leave for a long ass time, and he makes an impulsive decision later in the book that bits him in the ass big time - I understood where he was coming from a lot of the time. And the book made sure to explain his reasoning behind some of his more silly actions.
Such as when he took . But it all works out in the end.
The only truly horrible thing is Cesare, a sweet guy we're introduced to near the end, gets raped, so TW for that. It's not full on graphically shown, but it's kind of like Game of Thrones where you heard Sansa' SA but didn't see it. It's vaguely described as Reuben is subject to hearing it. It's not fully skipped over, but it's not too graphic either. So that is up to you to decide whether to read or not.
It happens at 85%, on pages 281-282 for if anyone wants to avoid that specific part.
Cesare was a sweet guy, and I can't wait for his book with Zae'l. After all he went through, he deserves to be treated amazingly. Also, Reuben is 6 feet tall, and he is considered small amongst these lizard people, as Vo'ak is well over 7 feet, and Zae'l is 9 feet tall or almost 9 feet tall. But Reuben describe Cesare as being fairly short or small, so...if 6 foot Reuben thinks that...he's going to be even tinier compared Zae'l, who is almost or is at 9 feet tall. The size difference will be so delicious! Can't wait 😍
So definitely, highly recommend this. I don't know if everyone will agree to this being the best Eryn Hawk book to date, but it is to me.
I'm so excited about the world she and Fae Quinn have created, and to read more from this series.
Onto the next! 🥰
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
April 13, 2024
One thing you must know about moi, I will ALWAYS eat up an mm alien romance. When I saw that this wonderful lady was writing one, I have not known any peace. I have been stalking her constantly and bugging the hell out of her. You know those weird guys in high school that would be like “Where my hug at??” and you know how annoying it was? I was doing the equivalent of that to this author by constantly saying “Hey girly pop what if you released this book right now?” Super annoying. I am sure she hates my guts, but I can’t help it. I was too excited. So once this got put on GRR, I pounced. And it was glorious. I loved this book so so so much. And I can’t wait for the next one.
Now for the juice. The juice is pretty much self explanatory. Reuben is kidnapped by aliens, and he’s told that he is the king’s mate of the planet U’suhk. Then it’s just a whirlwind of an arranged marriage, bonding, sex, meeting aliens, language barrier, etc. And then the MC is trying to think of ways to escape and go back to earth. Your typical alien book. AMAZING. We did have a little side plot of political unrest/rebellion, but it was good. This author always has a little angsty event on the side, but they’re resolved fairly quickly. Love her for that.
The sex!!!!!!! So so so so so so good. We get the good stuff. We get knotting!!! Possessive lovers!!! Breeding kinks!!! If only there was mpreg. There is talk about it, but it doesn’t happen in this book. I doubt it’ll happen at all. Sad for the mpreg lovers, but still good. This author is the best at writing sex. I never ever have to worry about that when it comes to her.
I really loved this book. I was so excited for it, and this author lived up to my excitement. I am also extremely excited for the next one. This is also an interconnected story, so there should be another one from a different author soon. Yay for that. Love you!
p.s. I just read my bestie’s review of this book to make sure I didn’t forget to mention something, and I did lol. This book was super funny!!!!!!!!! The MC was such a comedian, and I loved it. Okay that’s all
Now for the juice. The juice is pretty much self explanatory. Reuben is kidnapped by aliens, and he’s told that he is the king’s mate of the planet U’suhk. Then it’s just a whirlwind of an arranged marriage, bonding, sex, meeting aliens, language barrier, etc. And then the MC is trying to think of ways to escape and go back to earth. Your typical alien book. AMAZING. We did have a little side plot of political unrest/rebellion, but it was good. This author always has a little angsty event on the side, but they’re resolved fairly quickly. Love her for that.
The sex!!!!!!! So so so so so so good. We get the good stuff. We get knotting!!! Possessive lovers!!! Breeding kinks!!! If only there was mpreg. There is talk about it, but it doesn’t happen in this book. I doubt it’ll happen at all. Sad for the mpreg lovers, but still good. This author is the best at writing sex. I never ever have to worry about that when it comes to her.
I really loved this book. I was so excited for it, and this author lived up to my excitement. I am also extremely excited for the next one. This is also an interconnected story, so there should be another one from a different author soon. Yay for that. Love you!
p.s. I just read my bestie’s review of this book to make sure I didn’t forget to mention something, and I did lol. This book was super funny!!!!!!!!! The MC was such a comedian, and I loved it. Okay that’s all
August 9, 2025
Adorei🤩🤩🤩
September 24, 2025
3.5
I liked the idea for this story more than I liked the story itself.
Vo'ak didn't really have much personality other than 'King' and he never made any effort to teach Reuben anything about his culture, yet was quick to reprimand him anytime he got something wrong. Honestly thought he was a bit of a self-absorbed dickhead who just wanted a sex doll 🤷🏼♀️
Reuben wasn't much better though. He spends most of the book wanting to return to Earth and being miserable, even though it's abundantly clear he was more miserable there and had nothing? It made him come across as frustrating and whiny and I didn't care either way what the final outcome would be.
I did like the community though and the way humans were integrated into the villages.
Didn't really feel it was necessary for Cesare to suffer through a brutal SA though when we already knew the bad guy was bad. Kinda over seeing rape thrown into a story to emphasise how evil or domineering someone is.
*
*
*
HRCYED2: Make A Quote
I liked the idea for this story more than I liked the story itself.
Vo'ak didn't really have much personality other than 'King' and he never made any effort to teach Reuben anything about his culture, yet was quick to reprimand him anytime he got something wrong. Honestly thought he was a bit of a self-absorbed dickhead who just wanted a sex doll 🤷🏼♀️
Reuben wasn't much better though. He spends most of the book wanting to return to Earth and being miserable, even though it's abundantly clear he was more miserable there and had nothing? It made him come across as frustrating and whiny and I didn't care either way what the final outcome would be.
I did like the community though and the way humans were integrated into the villages.
Didn't really feel it was necessary for Cesare to suffer through a brutal SA though when we already knew the bad guy was bad. Kinda over seeing rape thrown into a story to emphasise how evil or domineering someone is.
*
*
*
HRCYED2: Make A Quote
April 2, 2024
"From the very moment we'd met in that forest, when my eyes had landed on his, part of me, deep, deep down, had known he was my person. My home."
Yes!! Hot alien alpha male who melts for his human. I totally dug this whole book! Poor Rueben. He's not been having an easy time in his life. After he finally fights his way out of the darkness he's been lost in and is working towards bettering himself/making amends for his past wrongs, the guy ends up abducted by aliens. Unfortunately, these are not the nice kind of aliens. These are aliens who treat humans like goods to be sold. Like they are beneath them and not worth the same respect as other alien species. Not a great place to be.
On the semi-bright side, it just so happens Reuben's poor life choices are one of the major reasons he ends up on planet U'suhk - where his alien hunk Vo'ak resides. They are primitive species in that they live off the land and are separated into tribes. Indoor plumbing doesn't even exist. You can imagine how jarring it would be for a skinny little human like Reuben to end up in a place like this.
Oh! And did I mention the reason for his purchase was to mate with their king? Yeah, I'd be a basket case myself. I don't know how Reuben held it together as well as he did. The language barrier certainly didn't help. It was actually really cute watching Vo'ak and Reuben trying to get to know one another while not having a firm grasp of each other's language, or in Reuben's case no grasp at all. I will say these two had definite chemistry between the sheets! No problems there my friend. It was the emotional aspect of their relationship that needed the most work.
I adored Vo'ak. He really did try his best to understand how to care for his hoo-man. But Reuben was stubborn, and after how many times he's been burned in the past, it was hard to build trust with an alien he was essentially forced to marry upon meeting. It took a lot of work, but I'm confident by the end that Rueben was just as much in love with Vo'ak as he was with him.
Now I must mention how excited I am that this series is going to continue. There was a bit of a tease at the end about one of the humans Rueben had met finding his mate with an alien visitor. Now this is just a guess, but I'm totally hoping his alluded mate was Fiddich. You will absolutely understand once you meet him. That alien dude deserves to be brought down a peg and nothing would aggravate him more than being the mate of a human. Not so good for the human, but I have faith Hawk could turn the tale. I guess we'll see!
Yes!! Hot alien alpha male who melts for his human. I totally dug this whole book! Poor Rueben. He's not been having an easy time in his life. After he finally fights his way out of the darkness he's been lost in and is working towards bettering himself/making amends for his past wrongs, the guy ends up abducted by aliens. Unfortunately, these are not the nice kind of aliens. These are aliens who treat humans like goods to be sold. Like they are beneath them and not worth the same respect as other alien species. Not a great place to be.
On the semi-bright side, it just so happens Reuben's poor life choices are one of the major reasons he ends up on planet U'suhk - where his alien hunk Vo'ak resides. They are primitive species in that they live off the land and are separated into tribes. Indoor plumbing doesn't even exist. You can imagine how jarring it would be for a skinny little human like Reuben to end up in a place like this.
Oh! And did I mention the reason for his purchase was to mate with their king? Yeah, I'd be a basket case myself. I don't know how Reuben held it together as well as he did. The language barrier certainly didn't help. It was actually really cute watching Vo'ak and Reuben trying to get to know one another while not having a firm grasp of each other's language, or in Reuben's case no grasp at all. I will say these two had definite chemistry between the sheets! No problems there my friend. It was the emotional aspect of their relationship that needed the most work.
I adored Vo'ak. He really did try his best to understand how to care for his hoo-man. But Reuben was stubborn, and after how many times he's been burned in the past, it was hard to build trust with an alien he was essentially forced to marry upon meeting. It took a lot of work, but I'm confident by the end that Rueben was just as much in love with Vo'ak as he was with him.
Now I must mention how excited I am that this series is going to continue. There was a bit of a tease at the end about one of the humans Rueben had met finding his mate with an alien visitor. Now this is just a guess, but I'm totally hoping his alluded mate was Fiddich. You will absolutely understand once you meet him. That alien dude deserves to be brought down a peg and nothing would aggravate him more than being the mate of a human. Not so good for the human, but I have faith Hawk could turn the tale. I guess we'll see!
January 16, 2025
I haven’t been writing a lot on books I DNF, but since I got 300 pages in before I hit this issue, imma air it out.
It’s sketchy AF to have a disabled villain. I debated pushing through because Reuben was such a well fleshed out MC with his addiction recovery, PTSD, malnutrition, and history of intimate partner violence. But it gives me the ick that the villain is the ONLY character with a permanent physical disability. And described as ugly.
It’s sketchy AF to have a disabled villain. I debated pushing through because Reuben was such a well fleshed out MC with his addiction recovery, PTSD, malnutrition, and history of intimate partner violence. But it gives me the ick that the villain is the ONLY character with a permanent physical disability. And described as ugly.
August 8, 2025
4,5 'hot Ly’zrd sex' stars
I'm totally blaming that pink shark from the cover of book 2 for reading this. I just had to see what the fuss is about 😄
I was mostly here for smut and monsterfuck and it definitely delivered in that aspect 🥵
Plus, I got knotting as a bonus, which was just perfect 🤌
And yes, we got 'cockroach' as a pet name 😂😂 (or at least alien equivalent for it) aren't they the sweetest couple ❤️
There was also a solid plot, I would say. Yes, the conflict and the ending figth were a little OTT but overall it was alright. And I actually really enjoyed Vo'ak and Reuben (or Roo 😊) as a couple ❤️
Also, Vo'ak being posessive was very swoon-worthy 🥰
Anyway, I recommend if you like some quality alien smut 👍
4,5 'hot Ly’zrd sex' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
3,5 'purple tentacle dicks' stars ⭐⭐⭐/⭐
I'm totally blaming that pink shark from the cover of book 2 for reading this. I just had to see what the fuss is about 😄
“You are a tempting morsel,” he carried on. “I would breed you here, if you allow.”
Fuuuck.
How could one guy be so hard to resist? Yeah, he was smoldering hot, and sex with him had felt amazing, but I shouldn’t have been so close to giving in, and I couldn’t even confidently say why anymore.
I was mostly here for smut and monsterfuck and it definitely delivered in that aspect 🥵
“O-mai-gawd,” Roo-bin mewled, his back curving inward as he fisted the pelt beneath him and surrendered, his walls parting in acceptance of everything I offered. “Yes… ngh. Yes.”
“That is it, little Earthling. Present yourself to me. Take all you are given.” My tail swished behind me in heated agitation as my claws extended, the sharp ends close to pricking the hoo-man’s bony hips. “I will mount you until my knot swells, rut my seed deep into your hole so all will know that you are mine.”
Plus, I got knotting as a bonus, which was just perfect 🤌
“Be still, c’karuucha,” I grunted. “You will damage yourself.”
“Waa-iz-thaa?” he squawked, voice rising to a pitch I thought only hu’nyds could hear. His intent was obvious, though he spoke too fast for interpretation. “Why iz-yew-r cock grro-ween?”
I suppressed my impatient eye roll. “Knot.”
“Yes, it is,” the stubborn little beast argued, continuing to fidget and mumble despite my warning. “I tthynk I can feel if yew-rdii-ck is—”
“No,” I corrected, mellowing my tone and pacing each word. I had to remember that he was not Ly’zrd, this may be new to him. “It is my knot.”
The hoo-man faltered, his mouth opening and closing. There was a long silence, his breaths settling, so I thought the meaning had sunk in, but after another moment, he huffed and sagged into the furs. Defeated. “I doe-nnt understand.”
And yes, we got 'cockroach' as a pet name 😂😂 (or at least alien equivalent for it) aren't they the sweetest couple ❤️
There was also a solid plot, I would say. Yes, the conflict and the ending figth were a little OTT but overall it was alright. And I actually really enjoyed Vo'ak and Reuben (or Roo 😊) as a couple ❤️
“Roo-bin.”
I sniffled. “Don’t do that, okay? I’m not…” I’m not worth dying for.
“Roo-bin, mate,” he said, wiping away the stray tear rolling down my cheek. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Always save.”
“No. You don’t have to—”
“I am skilled.” He grinned fiendishly, interrupting whatever I was going to say. “Take much to best me. Never worry.”
“Cocky bastard.” I huffed a soft, wet laugh, realizing it was a lost cause.
Also, Vo'ak being posessive was very swoon-worthy 🥰
I swore that I would do everything I could to prevent any creature alive from hurting him again. He was mine. In every sense of the word. Mine to take, mine to mark, mine to possess.
Mine to protect.
I held him tighter, my thudding heart drowning out the soft hum of his snores.
Mine to cherish.
Anyway, I recommend if you like some quality alien smut 👍
A smirk raked across Vo’ak’s face. “Eager hoo-man,” he teased. “Spending yourself with no more than my cock inside. How pleasing.”
Funny how this dude could barely string a regular sentence together, but sex talk? No problemo. Ten out of ten.
Couldn’t argue with his priorities.
4,5 'hot Ly’zrd sex' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐
3,5 'purple tentacle dicks' stars ⭐⭐⭐/⭐
April 13, 2024
"yee-haw for alien abduction. ’cause jerking and sucking on lee-zurd popsicle was fucking fire."
Awwww my heart is goo, Vo'ak is such a sweetie pie, angel face.. Just look at him... 🥵 Heck, I'll call him my king, hehe. I liked Roo-bin up until he embarrassed the shit out of me, and Vo'ak.... yelling at him like that in front of his people, THEN he ate the fucking berries.🙄
Sexytimes were tingly.
I cried when Vo'ak was hurt.
Dual pov. Mostly Roo-bins.
No cheating. Vo'aks ex TRYS to get in his pants, tho.
TW, on page rape. Roo-bin is forced to watch. POOR CEASAR. I just know their book will be emotional asf.
"I looked away before my boner shriveled up."
his feet phobia had me dying 😂
Awwww my heart is goo, Vo'ak is such a sweetie pie, angel face.. Just look at him... 🥵 Heck, I'll call him my king, hehe. I liked Roo-bin up until he embarrassed the shit out of me, and Vo'ak.... yelling at him like that in front of his people, THEN he ate the fucking berries.🙄
Sexytimes were tingly.
I cried when Vo'ak was hurt.
Dual pov. Mostly Roo-bins.
No cheating. Vo'aks ex TRYS to get in his pants, tho.
TW, on page rape. Roo-bin is forced to watch. POOR CEASAR. I just know their book will be emotional asf.
"I looked away before my boner shriveled up."
his feet phobia had me dying 😂
April 13, 2024
3.5
Well, this was absolutely lovely!
It lost my interest a smidge in the second half (but it was probably my brain's fault; and my very busy life at the moment), so I ended up skimming a bit, but in all in all I really enjoyed it.
Hot and lighthearted, sweet and fun, with an underlying current of tension and emotional angst; it ended ip tackling some important topics (heed the trigger warnings people!), and all in all, it left me feeling very satisfied.
I loved Reuben and Vo'ak to bits! They're both idiots, and they're both impulsive and reckless and share one braincell between them, but oh god, I loved those horny, disastrous wrecks to bits. I loved their chemistry, and I loved all the side characters too!
The world-building was so vivid and magical, and I also adored the dry humour, especially in Roo's POV (such a cute nickname!): I laughed out loud many times at his antics.
Like I said, I got a smidge bored in the second half, but I'm pretty sure it was my fault. I loved it until life started getting in the middle of my reading time, so I'm sure if I'd read it at any other time, I would have kept loving it.
Maybe it was a smidge too long, but yeah, I still adored it!
I'm sooooo excited to read the next book in this series! I'm hoping it will be about a certain lovely, reticent human and his stoic, patient alien, and I can already see myself going feral over them.
I'm also excited about Fae Quin's book too! The covers of both these books are GORGEOUS, and I'd totally buy them based solely on the art. Beautiful!
TWs/CWs: kidnapping, domestic abuse and sexual assault (past), rape (on page, minor character), violence and injury, drug addiction (past).
Thank you GRR for the ARC. This is my honest review.
Well, this was absolutely lovely!
It lost my interest a smidge in the second half (but it was probably my brain's fault; and my very busy life at the moment), so I ended up skimming a bit, but in all in all I really enjoyed it.
Hot and lighthearted, sweet and fun, with an underlying current of tension and emotional angst; it ended ip tackling some important topics (heed the trigger warnings people!), and all in all, it left me feeling very satisfied.
I loved Reuben and Vo'ak to bits! They're both idiots, and they're both impulsive and reckless and share one braincell between them, but oh god, I loved those horny, disastrous wrecks to bits. I loved their chemistry, and I loved all the side characters too!
The world-building was so vivid and magical, and I also adored the dry humour, especially in Roo's POV (such a cute nickname!): I laughed out loud many times at his antics.
Like I said, I got a smidge bored in the second half, but I'm pretty sure it was my fault. I loved it until life started getting in the middle of my reading time, so I'm sure if I'd read it at any other time, I would have kept loving it.
Maybe it was a smidge too long, but yeah, I still adored it!
I'm sooooo excited to read the next book in this series! I'm hoping it will be about a certain lovely, reticent human and his stoic, patient alien, and I can already see myself going feral over them.
I'm also excited about Fae Quin's book too! The covers of both these books are GORGEOUS, and I'd totally buy them based solely on the art. Beautiful!
TWs/CWs: kidnapping, domestic abuse and sexual assault (past), rape (on page, minor character), violence and injury, drug addiction (past).
Thank you GRR for the ARC. This is my honest review.
April 2, 2024
As soon as I saw Eryn was writing a fated mates, alien kidnapping book I knew I had to read it. I waited and waited and as soon as it came up on GRR I grabbed a copy!
I absolutely adored Vo'ak and I enjoyed his character greatly. Whenever he showered Reuben with affection, his love and warmth, and trying to involve him with the camp, I was just so happy. I really enjoyed everyone in the camp and how welcoming they were and how they tried to get him interested in their life there.
HOWEVER.
I did not like Reuben. I'm so sorry but I almost dnf'd this book due to him so many times and honestly it was a struggle to even finish it.
I get that he was kidnapped and thrown onto this planet and basically yeeted into a marriage, I get that. After enough time of him being there and having all of the power in his relationship, I thought he would honestly get more involved in the camp. He doesn't seem to understand their culture at all but it seems like he's been there long enough to at least grasp some understanding? So the whole fact that he just rushes into places he shouldn't go and speaks to Vo'ak like he does in front of his council just boggles my mind.
I also don't get why he's struggling so hard with being there and wanting to go back home. He admits CONSTANTLY he doesn't have any friends, he's parted ways with his family due to his background with who he's dated and the drugs he was involved with. But he just keeps going on about wanting to go back to Earth to apologize and have a warm, happy family gathering? How is he even going to GET to Earth? His ideas of leaving just frustrated me greatly and for WHAT? He's GOT bonds here on this new planet he's forming. He's got people who like him, respect him and he's got a fresh, brand new start! This wasn't a short thing either. It went on until 71% and I HATED IT.
One star is for the giant alien who is a bundle of delight and the other star is for the spice.
I absolutely adored Vo'ak and I enjoyed his character greatly. Whenever he showered Reuben with affection, his love and warmth, and trying to involve him with the camp, I was just so happy. I really enjoyed everyone in the camp and how welcoming they were and how they tried to get him interested in their life there.
HOWEVER.
I did not like Reuben. I'm so sorry but I almost dnf'd this book due to him so many times and honestly it was a struggle to even finish it.
I get that he was kidnapped and thrown onto this planet and basically yeeted into a marriage, I get that. After enough time of him being there and having all of the power in his relationship, I thought he would honestly get more involved in the camp. He doesn't seem to understand their culture at all but it seems like he's been there long enough to at least grasp some understanding? So the whole fact that he just rushes into places he shouldn't go and speaks to Vo'ak like he does in front of his council just boggles my mind.
I also don't get why he's struggling so hard with being there and wanting to go back home. He admits CONSTANTLY he doesn't have any friends, he's parted ways with his family due to his background with who he's dated and the drugs he was involved with. But he just keeps going on about wanting to go back to Earth to apologize and have a warm, happy family gathering? How is he even going to GET to Earth? His ideas of leaving just frustrated me greatly and for WHAT? He's GOT bonds here on this new planet he's forming. He's got people who like him, respect him and he's got a fresh, brand new start! This wasn't a short thing either. It went on until 71% and I HATED IT.
One star is for the giant alien who is a bundle of delight and the other star is for the spice.
June 28, 2025
"I was great at running from my problems and giving head, but that only benefited the role I was protesting about."
3.5⭐️
Ahhh, I haven’t read an alien romance in a long time. I love that shit. Like seriously — someone beam me up and take me to wherever a giant alien with a giant dick wants to love and protect me for the rest of my fucking days, because life on Earth? Ain’t shit.
Anyway, I actually enjoyed this pretty well! I’ve never read anything by Eryn Hawk before, but I liked the wit and overall story. The world-building was solid, and watching our main character Reuben deal with being kidnapped and basically sold off in an alien marriage to a mighty lizard king was... weirdly entertaining. For what this book is, it works.
Now, here’s where it lost points for me: there was way too much inner monologuing. Like, page after page of Reuben trauma-dumping to the reader, telling us his backstory and info-dumping chunks of the world, when honestly that kind of stuff works better in a third-person book. Since this was in first person, it felt a little awkward. That kind of emotional exposition could’ve worked better if it had been shared with a character — like the old lady, or even Vo'ak, even if he wouldn’t understand him. Give me some dialogue! Let the story unfold!
Also — and call me lame as hell if you want — but I don’t need sex scenes to last two chapters. Girl, wrap it up. I get it. It’s hot. He’s getting railed by a big red alien. We got the visual. But two full chapters? That’s not a scene, that’s a novella inside a novella. Enough is enough, my dude.
That said, if you're in the mood for a horny alien romance to pass your Sunday with, this might be your vibe — especially if you’re into long, drawn-out sexy times. 😉
3.5⭐️
Ahhh, I haven’t read an alien romance in a long time. I love that shit. Like seriously — someone beam me up and take me to wherever a giant alien with a giant dick wants to love and protect me for the rest of my fucking days, because life on Earth? Ain’t shit.
Anyway, I actually enjoyed this pretty well! I’ve never read anything by Eryn Hawk before, but I liked the wit and overall story. The world-building was solid, and watching our main character Reuben deal with being kidnapped and basically sold off in an alien marriage to a mighty lizard king was... weirdly entertaining. For what this book is, it works.
Now, here’s where it lost points for me: there was way too much inner monologuing. Like, page after page of Reuben trauma-dumping to the reader, telling us his backstory and info-dumping chunks of the world, when honestly that kind of stuff works better in a third-person book. Since this was in first person, it felt a little awkward. That kind of emotional exposition could’ve worked better if it had been shared with a character — like the old lady, or even Vo'ak, even if he wouldn’t understand him. Give me some dialogue! Let the story unfold!
Also — and call me lame as hell if you want — but I don’t need sex scenes to last two chapters. Girl, wrap it up. I get it. It’s hot. He’s getting railed by a big red alien. We got the visual. But two full chapters? That’s not a scene, that’s a novella inside a novella. Enough is enough, my dude.
That said, if you're in the mood for a horny alien romance to pass your Sunday with, this might be your vibe — especially if you’re into long, drawn-out sexy times. 😉
April 13, 2024
"I was pretty sure being abducted by aliens hadn’t been on my bingo card for the year. Then again, the ‘survive a month being poked and probed like a prized cow for auction’ square wasn’t ringing any bells either, so I might’ve skipped a few rounds."
From the get-go, I knew You're Not My King! was going to be a fun and steamy alien/human romp and I wasn't wrong! But there was also a good story and some great world-building to boot and with any luck we get to revisit our boys Reuben and Vo'ak on another jaunt to the planet Yoo-suk, or better still the pleasure planet Fu-huk-yoo.....
If you're all about the fun and steam of an extraterrestrial romance, then Eryn Hawk has got you covered with You're Not My King!
4 fun and steamy alien stars.
From the get-go, I knew You're Not My King! was going to be a fun and steamy alien/human romp and I wasn't wrong! But there was also a good story and some great world-building to boot and with any luck we get to revisit our boys Reuben and Vo'ak on another jaunt to the planet Yoo-suk, or better still the pleasure planet Fu-huk-yoo.....
If you're all about the fun and steam of an extraterrestrial romance, then Eryn Hawk has got you covered with You're Not My King!
4 fun and steamy alien stars.
April 13, 2024
When an alien king with a soft heart and a possessive streak meets a traumatised human with a flight instinct…
How could this not be right up my alley?
How could this not be right up my alley?
“He was mine. In every sense of the word. Mine to take, mine to mark, mine to possess.
Mine to protect. I held him tighter, my thudding heart drowning out the soft hum of his snores.
Mine to cherish.”
“Never doubt my affection for you. No force would have me leave you, my Roo-bin. I will be at your side. Always.”
February 5, 2025
4.5 stars ✨ yeah definitely my king 🤭
April 10, 2024
So good! MM Alien romance. I loved Roo-bin. The author did an excellent job with mental health rep
The story? I was laughing. Reuben was so snarky and witty, he had me chuckling. And the names of the planets, I don’t wanna spoil it, but I was laughing out loud.
The whole book was entertaining, fun, spicy, angsty, swoony, and a great read. I love the authors writing, it flowed perfectly for me.
Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews and author for the advanced copy. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.
The story? I was laughing. Reuben was so snarky and witty, he had me chuckling. And the names of the planets, I don’t wanna spoil it, but I was laughing out loud.
The whole book was entertaining, fun, spicy, angsty, swoony, and a great read. I love the authors writing, it flowed perfectly for me.
Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews and author for the advanced copy. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.
April 10, 2024
Eryn is an author who has introduced me to the fantasy/paranormal genre, and I have been captivated by her previous books. Her latest book didn't disappoint. The fantasy world she created was phenomenal, and the side characters were extraordinary. I was completely enamoured by them.
The story follows Reuben, who was abducted into space and traded to the planet U’suhk. He was forced to marry their lizard king, Vo’ak, because they were fated mates. Vo’ak was an exceptional mate, and I couldn't help but fall for him. He was remarkably patient with his hoo-man mate, and despite the language barriers, he could understand Reuben's emotions. Their first mating scene was exquisitely written and deeply intimate.
However, Reuben still desired to escape to Earth, believing that his family was there. His past made him uncertain about Vo'ak and his feelings towards him. The little bit of action we got was thrilling, and their happily-ever-after was heartwarming.
The side characters were phenomenal, particularly Fiona, Kneetar, and also the rest of the clans. We also caught glimpses of some of the other clan members finding their fated mates, If the author decides to write their stories, I'll be eagerly waiting.
I highly recommend starting this series, and I am eagerly anticipating the next book.
* I received an ARC copy from GRR and this is my honest review *
The story follows Reuben, who was abducted into space and traded to the planet U’suhk. He was forced to marry their lizard king, Vo’ak, because they were fated mates. Vo’ak was an exceptional mate, and I couldn't help but fall for him. He was remarkably patient with his hoo-man mate, and despite the language barriers, he could understand Reuben's emotions. Their first mating scene was exquisitely written and deeply intimate.
However, Reuben still desired to escape to Earth, believing that his family was there. His past made him uncertain about Vo'ak and his feelings towards him. The little bit of action we got was thrilling, and their happily-ever-after was heartwarming.
The side characters were phenomenal, particularly Fiona, Kneetar, and also the rest of the clans. We also caught glimpses of some of the other clan members finding their fated mates, If the author decides to write their stories, I'll be eagerly waiting.
I highly recommend starting this series, and I am eagerly anticipating the next book.
* I received an ARC copy from GRR and this is my honest review *
April 18, 2024
Oh my god, where do I start. This is gonna be ranty. This book should have been at least a 4 star, maybe 4.5 (and I'm strict with ratings). It was up until around 70% or so. It had some dull moments but they weren't too bad.
So what happened after that point? It's about what didn't happen. First issue... the book was really great with POV swaps right up until the big conflict between MCs around that 70%, basically equal POV, or at least 60/40 favoring Rueben. Then, AT NO POINT after said conflict did we get to see Vo'ak' POV again. It was all Rueben, Rueben, Rueben until the end of the fucking book. Even the fucking epilogue, both of them in Rueben's POV! We get nothing. FUCKING NOTHING about Vo'ak's changing his shit behavior and attitudes for his mate, nor do we see any of the deep remorse that he should be feeling while Rueben's in shit-ville under threat. The last thing we get from Vo'ak is him being a piece of shit to Rueben. lol what
We are very briefly told in the epilogue (through Rueben's POV as an afterthought) something like "oh yeah Vo'ak became perfect all of a sudden, all cool, thanks for reading, k bye". Obviously I'm exaggerating but it was the epitome of lackluster, truly. I'm livid about it. The book went from POV perfection to POV dumpster fire. You can't completely omit the second MC's POV after the major crisis moment (especially when that MC is basically the cause of the crisis), not after having both so clearly well done for the rest of the book. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.
Second issue... the MCs don't resolve their conflict in any satisfying way. They don't TALK about it, despite decent communication about other lesser things. Vo'ak never really apologizes in a way that isn't "oh by the way, my bad" esque. We aren't shown anything of worth for the major resolution. We're just given the equivalent of footnotes in the epilogue saying everything worked out great. Keep in mind, this book is really good at building up organic conflict and personality mismatch between the MCs while still creating strong attraction and affection between them. It's very realistic compared to most MM.
And THAT is why this is such a big issue... there was so much build up over the whole book, almost perfect, and then no follow-through. It's almost as if the author stopped giving a fuck at that point of the story? Idfk.
So that's the major shit that should have happened but didn't. And that's why I rated this 2 stars. (It would be 1 star but I really want to acknowledge that the other parts are good.) If you write really great shit otherwise (and this was), but then totally shit the bed on something as simple as maintaining POV strategy/pattern through one of the most pivotal parts of the book... well I'm gonna come down hard on that in my review. Here we are 🤷♂️
One other annoying as fuck issue... Rueben is almost TSTL. He keeps bitching about wanting to go back to Earth, and that he's gonna do it, blah blah blah. Um, never once are we told HOW he's gonna get back there. It's not like he can call an Uber from another fucking planet. And the ships to/from the planet are highly controlled. It's going to be basically impossible for him to go anywhere at all, much less all the way to Earth. Yet, he spends SO MUCH time whining about it and saying how he's gonna for real do it. I get the kid is traumatized but holy fucking hell, that's some next gen stupidity. "I want to get from A to B." Okay the next logical question is... "how do I get from A to B?" 🙄
Another quick mention... Vo'ak's language level fluctuates in inconsistent ways in a few sections. I don't think that detail was handled well. Just like I don't think the soreness of their painful sex was handled well (it was basically lost at some point, fairly quickly).
There are other things I could pick out, but the ones above are the most important issues. After having read Cair by this author, and being very unimpressed by the rushed/too-tidy ending and general instances of "you were doing so good, author... why did you make a hard right at batshit-insane?", I think I'm starting to see a pattern.
This author IS a good writer, in my opinion, and I rarely say that about anyone frankly. That's why this story was so exciting... it just nabbed me and drew me into an addiction for these two MCs because those parts are written really fucking well.. But the author really needs to work on proper resolution to major inter-relational conflict, avoidance of quick/spotless cleanup of intricate plot elements, and consistent follow-through on established POV patterns, especially at parts where it really matters (e.g. the primary conflict lol)
I will probably try one more book by this author, but if that ends in a similar way, I'm probably at a DNR. There's only so much rollercoaster I can take.
This is really sad. I'm more disappointed about how this book turned out than any other ove read in probably the last 12 months at least. I thought I had a winner. It had SO MUCH POTENTIAL, fuuuuucckk.
So what happened after that point? It's about what didn't happen. First issue... the book was really great with POV swaps right up until the big conflict between MCs around that 70%, basically equal POV, or at least 60/40 favoring Rueben. Then, AT NO POINT after said conflict did we get to see Vo'ak' POV again. It was all Rueben, Rueben, Rueben until the end of the fucking book. Even the fucking epilogue, both of them in Rueben's POV! We get nothing. FUCKING NOTHING about Vo'ak's changing his shit behavior and attitudes for his mate, nor do we see any of the deep remorse that he should be feeling while Rueben's in shit-ville under threat. The last thing we get from Vo'ak is him being a piece of shit to Rueben. lol what
We are very briefly told in the epilogue (through Rueben's POV as an afterthought) something like "oh yeah Vo'ak became perfect all of a sudden, all cool, thanks for reading, k bye". Obviously I'm exaggerating but it was the epitome of lackluster, truly. I'm livid about it. The book went from POV perfection to POV dumpster fire. You can't completely omit the second MC's POV after the major crisis moment (especially when that MC is basically the cause of the crisis), not after having both so clearly well done for the rest of the book. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.
Second issue... the MCs don't resolve their conflict in any satisfying way. They don't TALK about it, despite decent communication about other lesser things. Vo'ak never really apologizes in a way that isn't "oh by the way, my bad" esque. We aren't shown anything of worth for the major resolution. We're just given the equivalent of footnotes in the epilogue saying everything worked out great. Keep in mind, this book is really good at building up organic conflict and personality mismatch between the MCs while still creating strong attraction and affection between them. It's very realistic compared to most MM.
And THAT is why this is such a big issue... there was so much build up over the whole book, almost perfect, and then no follow-through. It's almost as if the author stopped giving a fuck at that point of the story? Idfk.
So that's the major shit that should have happened but didn't. And that's why I rated this 2 stars. (It would be 1 star but I really want to acknowledge that the other parts are good.) If you write really great shit otherwise (and this was), but then totally shit the bed on something as simple as maintaining POV strategy/pattern through one of the most pivotal parts of the book... well I'm gonna come down hard on that in my review. Here we are 🤷♂️
One other annoying as fuck issue... Rueben is almost TSTL. He keeps bitching about wanting to go back to Earth, and that he's gonna do it, blah blah blah. Um, never once are we told HOW he's gonna get back there. It's not like he can call an Uber from another fucking planet. And the ships to/from the planet are highly controlled. It's going to be basically impossible for him to go anywhere at all, much less all the way to Earth. Yet, he spends SO MUCH time whining about it and saying how he's gonna for real do it. I get the kid is traumatized but holy fucking hell, that's some next gen stupidity. "I want to get from A to B." Okay the next logical question is... "how do I get from A to B?" 🙄
Another quick mention... Vo'ak's language level fluctuates in inconsistent ways in a few sections. I don't think that detail was handled well. Just like I don't think the soreness of their painful sex was handled well (it was basically lost at some point, fairly quickly).
There are other things I could pick out, but the ones above are the most important issues. After having read Cair by this author, and being very unimpressed by the rushed/too-tidy ending and general instances of "you were doing so good, author... why did you make a hard right at batshit-insane?", I think I'm starting to see a pattern.
This author IS a good writer, in my opinion, and I rarely say that about anyone frankly. That's why this story was so exciting... it just nabbed me and drew me into an addiction for these two MCs because those parts are written really fucking well.. But the author really needs to work on proper resolution to major inter-relational conflict, avoidance of quick/spotless cleanup of intricate plot elements, and consistent follow-through on established POV patterns, especially at parts where it really matters (e.g. the primary conflict lol)
I will probably try one more book by this author, but if that ends in a similar way, I'm probably at a DNR. There's only so much rollercoaster I can take.
This is really sad. I'm more disappointed about how this book turned out than any other ove read in probably the last 12 months at least. I thought I had a winner. It had SO MUCH POTENTIAL, fuuuuucckk.
December 18, 2025
Çok mantık aramıyorsanız eğer okuması keyifli bir kurgu.
Reuben’in yaşadıkları üzücüydü, şiddet görmesi onda bıraktığı izler. Korkak ve tembelliğine rağmen vazgeçmemesi çok güzeldi.
Vo’ak harika bir uzaylıydı. Kesinlikle çok anlayışlı ve Roo-binn’e karşı sabırlı nir eş oldu.
Moster seviyorsanız. MM okumaktanda da keyif alıyorsanız şans verebilirsiniz.
Reuben’in yaşadıkları üzücüydü, şiddet görmesi onda bıraktığı izler. Korkak ve tembelliğine rağmen vazgeçmemesi çok güzeldi.
Vo’ak harika bir uzaylıydı. Kesinlikle çok anlayışlı ve Roo-binn’e karşı sabırlı nir eş oldu.
Moster seviyorsanız. MM okumaktanda da keyif alıyorsanız şans verebilirsiniz.
April 8, 2024
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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨
I've been eager to read this book ever since Eryn and Fae announced they were releasing a joint series about humans x aliens. In this first book, we meet Reuben, a 26-year-old who is abducted while trying to save his sister and ends up on Planet U’suhk. What he doesn't expect is that as soon as he sets foot on the planet, the leader of the local species (the Ly’zrd) detects his presence and senses that there's something between them: they are fated mates.
There are many things I liked about this story and some not so much, but overall, I enjoyed it immensely and it has become one of my best reads by the author alongside Och, Ness!
Vo’ak has been one of the biggest surprises of this book. I've loved everything about him, and he's been a wonderful discovery. Despite the difficulties in communicating with Reuben due to them speaking different languages and having different customs, Vo’ak makes huge and obvious efforts to please Reuben, to ensure that he is comfortable and happy in his new life on U’suhk, and to make him see it as his home.
Even with the communication difficulties, Vo’ak is often an open book, and I've fallen in love with how conceited and boastful he can be at times and how pleased he is whenever Reuben shows interest in him.
Reuben... is a more complicated and, I would say, poorly constructed character. He is supposed to be a 26-year-old who has survived an abusive relationship, is recovering from addictions to various substances, and was trying to rebuild his relationship with his family when he was abducted by aliens. Do these facts really show in Reuben throughout the story? I would say only when necessary for the plot; that is, when it's necessary to justify Reuben's actions in a particular way, the author uses the trump card of one of his traumas to justify it. The rest of the time? I'm sorry, but Reuben neither shows signs of having suffered abuse except at a couple of times, nor does he seem addicted to anything. Because no, stopping consumption for a while doesn't automatically mean you're recovered... And he should suffer due to withdrawal or even crave to use from time to time. But nothing. Nada.
And with this, there’s Reuben's incomprehensible obsession with going back home. And no, I'm sorry, but I never understood it at any point of the book. I understand the justification the author tries to give us, but Reuben is someone who suffered a lot on Earth and suddenly he arrives on a planet where since his arrival he’s treated him like a king, they show him affection, care for him, and treat him with respect... Also, on U’suhk, he begins to form relationships not only with Vo’ak but also with Fiona (a human who has been there for 8 years) and with other Ly’zrd from the clan where he is living. His obsession with going home? At first, it's understandable, I think anyone in his situation would want to return, but there came a point in the story where I was surprised that he was still so determined about it.
Aside from this, I had a lot of fun reading this book, I loved the spicy scenes, and I would have liked to see even more of Vo’ak and Reuben together. Additionally, we also have a plot beyond romance, related to Vo’ak and his status as king of the Ly’zrd, and a rebellion in a northern clan. I thought this would provide less entertainment, but I was surprised by the twists the story took, and I recommend you check the TW if you usually need to, because there could be some triggering things.
I had a lot of fun with Vo’ak and Reuben trying to communicate, I loved how the author played with the pronunciation of words that the other didn't understand (I adore how Vo’ak calls Reuben his hoo-man), and in general, the communicate barrier trope here was highly satisfying. And I’m so glad because I love this trope!
Regarding the next book, written by Fae Quinn, I loved that at the beginning of this story we can see allusions to her upcoming story (we see the species of alien-shark that will star in her book and even mention Hugo, the human MC). I'm curious about how things will go for them, and I wouldn't mind if Eryn continued to write about this world too because there are several secondary couples that could (and deserve to) have their own book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨
I've been eager to read this book ever since Eryn and Fae announced they were releasing a joint series about humans x aliens. In this first book, we meet Reuben, a 26-year-old who is abducted while trying to save his sister and ends up on Planet U’suhk. What he doesn't expect is that as soon as he sets foot on the planet, the leader of the local species (the Ly’zrd) detects his presence and senses that there's something between them: they are fated mates.
There are many things I liked about this story and some not so much, but overall, I enjoyed it immensely and it has become one of my best reads by the author alongside Och, Ness!
Vo’ak has been one of the biggest surprises of this book. I've loved everything about him, and he's been a wonderful discovery. Despite the difficulties in communicating with Reuben due to them speaking different languages and having different customs, Vo’ak makes huge and obvious efforts to please Reuben, to ensure that he is comfortable and happy in his new life on U’suhk, and to make him see it as his home.
Even with the communication difficulties, Vo’ak is often an open book, and I've fallen in love with how conceited and boastful he can be at times and how pleased he is whenever Reuben shows interest in him.
Reuben... is a more complicated and, I would say, poorly constructed character. He is supposed to be a 26-year-old who has survived an abusive relationship, is recovering from addictions to various substances, and was trying to rebuild his relationship with his family when he was abducted by aliens. Do these facts really show in Reuben throughout the story? I would say only when necessary for the plot; that is, when it's necessary to justify Reuben's actions in a particular way, the author uses the trump card of one of his traumas to justify it. The rest of the time? I'm sorry, but Reuben neither shows signs of having suffered abuse except at a couple of times, nor does he seem addicted to anything. Because no, stopping consumption for a while doesn't automatically mean you're recovered... And he should suffer due to withdrawal or even crave to use from time to time. But nothing. Nada.
And with this, there’s Reuben's incomprehensible obsession with going back home. And no, I'm sorry, but I never understood it at any point of the book. I understand the justification the author tries to give us, but Reuben is someone who suffered a lot on Earth and suddenly he arrives on a planet where since his arrival he’s treated him like a king, they show him affection, care for him, and treat him with respect... Also, on U’suhk, he begins to form relationships not only with Vo’ak but also with Fiona (a human who has been there for 8 years) and with other Ly’zrd from the clan where he is living. His obsession with going home? At first, it's understandable, I think anyone in his situation would want to return, but there came a point in the story where I was surprised that he was still so determined about it.
Aside from this, I had a lot of fun reading this book, I loved the spicy scenes, and I would have liked to see even more of Vo’ak and Reuben together. Additionally, we also have a plot beyond romance, related to Vo’ak and his status as king of the Ly’zrd, and a rebellion in a northern clan. I thought this would provide less entertainment, but I was surprised by the twists the story took, and I recommend you check the TW if you usually need to, because there could be some triggering things.
I had a lot of fun with Vo’ak and Reuben trying to communicate, I loved how the author played with the pronunciation of words that the other didn't understand (I adore how Vo’ak calls Reuben his hoo-man), and in general, the communicate barrier trope here was highly satisfying. And I’m so glad because I love this trope!
Regarding the next book, written by Fae Quinn, I loved that at the beginning of this story we can see allusions to her upcoming story (we see the species of alien-shark that will star in her book and even mention Hugo, the human MC). I'm curious about how things will go for them, and I wouldn't mind if Eryn continued to write about this world too because there are several secondary couples that could (and deserve to) have their own book.
April 14, 2024
I had a wonderful time reading this book. It was fun due to the language barriers, but also very emotional. It truly was a great read and I seem to be on an alien romance roll lately, bring it on!
Reuben is kidnapped, taken to an alien spaceship and sold to lizard aliens from a planet far away from his own. He was trying to mend his life on Earth and now finds himself being the fated mate of an alien bigger than him, and who is also royalty on his planet. Vo'ak is the king of his planet and he's used to mates being obedient and willing to follow orders, which Reuben isn't doing at all. So the start of their relationship is rough and full of interesting (and funny) situations.
This story was very entertaining and it got me hooked from the beginning. I felt so bad for Reuben, finding himself trapped in a spaceship being poked up daily and then taken to a foreign planet with lizard aliens. The fact he couldn't communicate properly with Vo'ak made for funny moments, but also frustrating ones.
It was beautiful to see how Vo'ak was patient and willing to give Reuben space, even though it went against all his instincts. I loved the evolution Reuben went through, he wanted to go back to Earth to finally put his life in order so badly that he couldn't see what he had in front of him, but bit by bit he learnt about himself and what was really important in life. He got to see he was mistaken about a lot of things and accepted what his heart had wanted all along: someone who loved him no matter what.
This novel also had some dangerous situations and an action packed finale. I loved the world-building, the secondary characters (which I hope to see more of in the future, please?) and the romance between the MCs, which was beautiful despite their difficult beginning. I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read what comes next.
Reuben is kidnapped, taken to an alien spaceship and sold to lizard aliens from a planet far away from his own. He was trying to mend his life on Earth and now finds himself being the fated mate of an alien bigger than him, and who is also royalty on his planet. Vo'ak is the king of his planet and he's used to mates being obedient and willing to follow orders, which Reuben isn't doing at all. So the start of their relationship is rough and full of interesting (and funny) situations.
This story was very entertaining and it got me hooked from the beginning. I felt so bad for Reuben, finding himself trapped in a spaceship being poked up daily and then taken to a foreign planet with lizard aliens. The fact he couldn't communicate properly with Vo'ak made for funny moments, but also frustrating ones.
It was beautiful to see how Vo'ak was patient and willing to give Reuben space, even though it went against all his instincts. I loved the evolution Reuben went through, he wanted to go back to Earth to finally put his life in order so badly that he couldn't see what he had in front of him, but bit by bit he learnt about himself and what was really important in life. He got to see he was mistaken about a lot of things and accepted what his heart had wanted all along: someone who loved him no matter what.
This novel also had some dangerous situations and an action packed finale. I loved the world-building, the secondary characters (which I hope to see more of in the future, please?) and the romance between the MCs, which was beautiful despite their difficult beginning. I enjoyed this book so much and I can't wait to read what comes next.
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