Alien Minotaur's Prize

by Hattie Jacks

He’s a growly alien minotaur who wants more from me than a marriage…

Cleaning out the oxygen scrubbers on the S.C Britannia, the last and only hope for the British nation, is not everyone’s idea of a great job, but it’s all I’ve got.

Working as a ‘mudlark’ isn’t glamorous, but having lost my family I don’t have any other options, so I get on with it as best I can.

Until I happen across my boss selling our supplies to an alien troll.

I never thought I’d enter the Starlight Lottery to escape my fate, nor that my selection would be immediate. And then I find out if I want to get away, I have to marry an alien minotaur, who just happens to be a king.

So far, so fairy tale…the catch…King Asteron needs an heir, and he wants to get started straight away.

Welcome to the Starlight Brides – where luck is optional, but the hot alien is guaranteed!

Genres: Aliens, Romance, Monsters, Science Fiction, Monster Romance, Science Fiction Romance, Fantasy

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 18, 2024

Reviews

[Hannah Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

If you're just looking for a smutty lil minotaur romance, then this is a 10/10. It's veryyy spicy. However, the spice overshadowed the plot a little too much for my taste. This book had probably my favorite plot so far out of the books I've read in this series, but it was so spread out between the spice that I lost sight of it at times.

Definitely a good time, definitely a good read, but you need to be in the mood for lots of shmut.

preread
I loved the other two books I've read from this collection so I'm going to keep reading them!! They're all set in the same universe, but written by different authors. This is my first Hattie Jacks book so fingers crossed!

[May (toastyreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

More detailed review to come, but this book is everything you expect it to be and so much more.

I consumed this like a starving minotaur deprived of milk 🙈💜

--
edit:

This was a very quick and lighthearted read. If you are interested in the tropes or *ahem* special stalls, this is the book for you!! It helped break me out of a reading slump, and I have not stopped reading since.

Basically, this book is everything you expect it to be and so much more.

I consumed this like a minotaur deprived of milk 🙈💜

Asteron (hehe Astarion), was a slow-burn for me, but I ended up loving him so much. He was a soft but firm good boy.

This book had every trope I loved, I could not get enough...

I really wish we got more time with Ginny and Asteron. I liked their dynamic a lot, I am craving more. Excited for more from this series!!

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus )]

I was just expecting another run of the mill Minotaur x human story but more like- a Minotaur monster? Not like.. cattle? with some breeding kink but I was not ready for them to go into the ‘ breeding stall’ to get them positioned and attached like they’re literally livestock for breeding. 🙈

I just need to pay more attention to what I’m going to read 😂

[TaylorReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright yall listen, I’ve read some crazy things on god’s internet. Enjoyed a lot of them too. I love a good Minotaur book (looking at you MGMF). This was…not that. The plot was rough, the book was rushed, and the dialogue was straight cringe a majority of the time. Not to mention the spice was weird, even for me, and not written very well. Bummed because this had potential. There was also no time spent developing their relationship at alllll, it was just “oh okay we’re in love and married now”.

[Racheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy smokes was this book jam packed with hot, sizzlin' spice!! Phew, what a way to kick off the series! I'm definitely giving this book 4/4.5 stars.

From the worldbuilding to the unique cultural aspects, this story was just so creative. I've read a few Minotaur books so far and this one definitely stands out from the others with its fresh take on Minotaur culture and mating.

Moving onto the main characters, I loved how fierce and protective Asteron was of Ginny. Their love story is a little bit more on the insta-love/lust side of things, but it doesn't detract away from how scorching hot the chemistry and spice is between them. With their spice, you'll find themes like breeding, copious amounts of fluids, milking in a few different forms and backdoor play. While Ginny didn't have much say to begin with, she was resilient and strong through the wild ride that led her to Asteron. I loved how she took things in stride, despite being kept in the dark towards the beginning. I loved seeing their relationship grow through this book to the tender romance that it was by the end. The epilogue was such a sweet touch and it was nice to get a glimpse into the future.

Thank you Hattie Jacks for the opportunity to read this ARC! My thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The spice was fun and the whole mating in a stall thing was very unique. I wish we’d gotten more getting to know each other moments, instead of having most of that off page. They had their rough patches (but no 3rd act breakup), but fell in love pretty quickly.

Spice: 5/5

Triggers: pregnancy, childbirth, explosion, mentions of parent death, poverty/malnutrition, kidnapping (not by MC), drugging, violence, death

[Michelle (MichelleBookAddict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/31 Buddy read for a discord group. Thought I’d be able to finish it all before the end of today but no… I’ve been having more fun highlighting and laughing at all these tropes I’ve been finding 😂

[Cait Ireen | caitireenreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Due to the death of his father, King Asteron needs to marry in order to strengthen his entitlement to the throne. In order to enact this quickly, he utilizes Starlight Bride, a service which matches up males and females across species to produce the strongest partnerships. It is through this service that he is matched up with Ginny, a woman from Earth who is currently on the ship ‘Britannia’, after Earth was made uninhabitable. What follows is the story of their marriage, relationship and the challenges that come with running a kingdom on an alien planet. Will Ginny and Asteron be able to bridge the gap that their different species create?

This book was such a quick, fun and gluttonous read. The spice was spicin’, the story was fun, and the relationship development of our main characters was addicting. I am just dipping my toe into the world of alien romances, and this was the perfect way to kick off the Starlight Brides series! I can’t wait to keep reading to see who we get to meet next. Did I mention how spicy that spice was? YUM-O!

I recommend this to lovers of alien romances, fated mates and delicious love stories!

Tropes in this story:
✨Minotaur x human pairing
✨Arranged marriage
✨Dystopian / non-existent Earth
✨Fated mates
✨Breeding

I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book from the author, but my review is all my own. Thank you, Hattie!! 🖤🖤🖤

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Today is my wedding day, and all I can think about is just how annoying Asteron is. At night he can't get enough of me--the aching burn in my thighs and stomach confirms this. But during the day? I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of conversations we've had. It's as if I don't exist.

3 stars

I chose this quote on purpose as I really did not understand or feel the 'fated mates' connection between Asteron and Ginny. Asteron did not act like a king who was in love with his mate; he repeatedly avoided telling her things that were important to know as his queen and others around him continually asked him WHY HAVE YOU NOT TOLD HER THIS YET? I agree with Ginny here; I feel like they never really had meaningful interactions other than hot smutty sex, which is fine, but I prefer more storyline and substance to a fated mates plot.

Another big hang-up for me was how non-monstrous Asteron felt. Other than his horns and hooves (which were only brought up when he and Ginny were having sex), the fact that he was a minotaur never seemed to be addressed. Like was his nose wet? Did his muzzle have soft peach fuzz? Was his tongue rough? Was his fur soft? What about his ears? And how the hell did Asteron and Ginny kiss?? I've read other minotaur books which I felt addressed this better, so to me it felt like the author picked a minotaur just for fun and then promptly forgot what Asteron was supposed to be...unless they were having sex. This was my first story by Hattie Jacks, and overall I was left disappointed.

Tropes: mail order bride, monster/alien romance, aloof hero, down-on-her-luck heroine, arranged marriage, breeding kink, knotting, lactating kink (new one for me tbh), smutty smut🔥

*ARC provided by the author, and I voluntarily reviewed it*

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit, it felt a bit strange having a minotaur as my fated mate, but I genuinely enjoyed it. With Earth destroyed by our own actions and now living on a space station, what could possibly be worse? Definitely not a world inhabited by minotaurs— or is it?

It's not a bad read once you get used to the idea of an alien minotaur. Beneath his tough exterior lies a big softie who would do anything to keep you safe.

[Bookloversofantastic · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Minotaur’s romance and one thing is sure this one was truly steamy !!!
I loved the concept of the Starlight Lottery thing, even if Ginny was quite surprised by the job she received. Asteron is just intense and so protective, it was cute to see him open up and let himself feel for Ginny. I had a good time reading it and I’m really excited for the rest of the series ! The world building is amazing and it was all the trope that I like.

I received an ARC Copy of this book from the author, this review is from my own thoughts 😍

[Jeanne Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took no small effort to put aside the ridiculous concept of mating a Minotaur (still not buying it, sorry), but the story itself was solid. A couple editing misses but surprisingly good, despite the sexual accommodations for livestock… *eyeroll*

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! 😈
This checked all the boxes and more for me!!! 🔥🥵 I LOVED it!! Can’t wait to read the others in this series. So far this was my favorite 😍

[Lynn_G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orphaned human Ginny has been toiling away at the lowliest of occupations: cleaning the air and waste filtration systems on the massive space station to which she and her family had been evacuated following the environmental destruction of most of the earth thereby rendering it uninhabitable. In the panic and confusion of the evacuation, Ginny was separated from the rest of her family and witnessed the horrific implosion that killed them and all the others on board.

Alien minotaur King Asteron assumes the throne after his very cold and exacting father died when it becomes impossible for him to discern who is working against his leadership and possibly plotting deadly violence against him. When his vizier encourages him to apply for a compatible wife to be his queen as a signal to the clans of various alien species he needs to keep aligned with him and his subjects that he is stable and powerful.

When Ginny’s creepy supervisor realizes that she’s seen him trading the feeding rations and supplies meant for the residents of the vessel, she’s coerced into becoming a candidate for an intergalactic bride program, where she’s matched up with and quickly married off to none other than King Asteron.

Asteron is stunned to find himself not just married to Ginny, but falling for her and discovering she’s his fated mate, without whom he’s bereft. He immediately sets about producing an heir with her, but outside threats remain, and once they’ve conceived, uncovering those plotting against him and keeping his precious Queen safe from those who would harm her become paramount.

This was a really fun read, and while of course the suspension of disbelief is needed, I quickly stopped questioning things and just went along for the very steamy wild ride. The author’s world building and creativity are most enjoyable.

I received an advance reader copy from the author and bookfunnel, and I’m pleased to share my honest review.

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was heavy on the spice, light on plot. Great palate cleanser.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew SciFi could be sexy until I stumbled upon Hattie Jacks books. I swear she can really write some good intergalactic smut; these stories make you want to leave earth altogether and find yourself an Alien Bae.

Ginny figured there couldn't be anything worse than working in the most disgusting job on an alien ship until she caught wind of her sneaky boss selling their supplies to an alien troll. To keep Ginny quiet and complacent she is sent off to partake in the Starlight Lottery where human women are sent to be married off to an alien. As luck would have it Ginny is not only matched perfectly to an alien, but she is matched perfectly to an alien minotaur who happens to be King.

King Asteron needs a wife, but he never imagined finding his fated mate in the Starlight Lottery and now that he has found his mate, he will stop at nothing to claim and protect her by any means necessary.

Expect to find:

Growly Alien Minotaur
Violence
Knotting
Pregnancy
An Abundance of bodily fluids
Witty Banter
Abduction
Fated Mates
HEA

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOOD AND A LITTLE FUNNY!

I liked Asteron and Ginny and how they became better people because of their love for one another. The sex was different but I could have used a little less sex to have more dialog about themselves and their planet. We got some but not enough. Did I miss what happened to Kilina at the dress store? I know Dalus survived did Kilina? Knowing if their relationship developed would have been a good story. Did Kevin die as he was sliding to the other end or was his story true to! Thank you for a good story!

[Cat Moreschi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very belated ARC review - Spoilers ahead!

I was given access to an ARC copy of Alien Minotaur’s Prize and read it without any requirement to leave a review. At first I was already preparing to give this book a 5 star review. I loved the premise of an entire nation living on a spaceship (it reminds me of Doctor Who in a good way) and overall the worldbuilding was very good. However, as the book progressed, I very quickly found myself liking it less and less.

By no means was this book bad, but as soon as Asteron and Ginny met it lost any momentum it had. Obviously the point of this book is the romance and the spice, not the world building, but it seemed like even the romance was lost in favor of the spice. The timeline felt like it was all over the place with multiple time skips occuring, and there were moments where I thought Ginny and Asteron would fight or at least talk about important issues only for it to end with them going at it in the stalls again. As a side effect of the world building and romance being left behind, it felt like even the author forgot about her characters are certain points – there were moments when Ginny and Asteron would kiss where I’m nearly 100% sure Jacks forgot Asteron has the head of a bull and not a human man.

Another moment where it seemed world building/common sense was abandoned in favor of spicy content was the scene where Ginny is in labor and finds out that Asteron is going to fuck her through the contractions in order to establish their bond. How does this work outside of the first pregnancy? Do they have to reestablish the bond every time they have a kid or is it permanent after the first time? Also, if Ginny’s body is trying to push something out of her birthing canal, why on earth is the solution to stick something else up into it?

My thoughts about the book aren’t entirely negative. As I mentioned, I think there’s quite a lot of potential here. I was skeptical about the book at first because the content warning list had some things that I’m not opposed to but that I’m not partiucalrly a fan of. However, I found myself enjoying parts more than I thought I would. Additionally, I really liked Ginny – I thought she was a really fun character and would have loved to learn more about who she is outside of her husband. I would love to see this world and these characters developed further in future books if Jacks ever decides to come back to them (since this is a stand alone novel).

Overally rating: 3.8/4 stars.

[Nevena · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ “My little mate, you are my stars, my galaxy, my planet. Everything I am belongs to you.”
~~~
Ginny’s life is anything but glamorous. Working in the depths of Space Cruiser Britannia, she barely makes ends meet. But Ginny is not a woman who easily backs down from challenges. She’s hardworking and doesn’t hesitate to stand her ground. Even more, she’s kind, caring, compassionate and understanding. And she can easily adapt to any situation. I also loved her strength and courage. Ginny is a wonderful woman and I loved her so, so much!

King Asteron is one formidable male - huge, muscular, fearsome, growly and intense. But Asteron is even more than that. He’s also incredibly caring, thoughtful, honorable, generous, fiercely protective and so deliciously dominant. And he has quite a lot on his plate as the new ruler of Xnos. Asteron is an incredible male and I adored everything about him!

I absolutely loved everything that happened between Ginny and Asteron! Ginny witnesses something she’s not supposed to and her only chance to escape is to sign-up for the Starlight Lottery. On the other hand, Asteron needs a mate and an heir to unite his people. What’s supposed to be a marriage of convenience, quickly becomes so much more! Because the moment Asteron sees Ginny, he falls head over hooves for the tiny human. And Ginny is instantaneously attracted to the fearsome king, too, but his hot and cold attitude makes it hard for her to fully open her heart. I adored those two together! I loved their chemistry, the tension, the banters and the teasing. I also loved every moment they spent together, getting to know one another and learning to trust each other. Even more, I loved all the effort they both put into their new relationship. And the spice! Ohhhh, talk about creative mating… I couldn’t get enough of all the naughty delight! Ginny and Asteron were absolutely perfect for each other and more than deserved to find happiness and love together!

In addition, the storyline was fantastic! I loved the Xnossans - their chatty and sassy ladies were so fun, and each of the males were such fearsome and honorable warriors, who under the right rule managed to transform into a formidable, united and unstoppable force. With everything happening, I was glued to the pages till the very end.

Overall, the story is a spectacular, quick-paced, fun, suspenseful and very, very naughty read and I absolutely loved every page of it!

[Gleeful Goblin Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gleeful Goblin Review: Whew, talk about a series of misunderstandings and unfortunate events that lead our FMC Ginny to being part of the Starlight Lottery aka Starlight Brides. The ship and culture that Ginny came from reminded me so much of the ship from the Doctor Who episode The Beast Below which has a special place in my heart already. She has a rough go of it on her ship of origin that leads to her having no choice but to participate in what she thinks is a jobs lottery and winds up being matched to our MMC King Asteron who has been cornered into marriage to solidify his reign.

This book has the signature wit and humor I love from this author and some of the scenes flat out made me snort laugh such as this one: "My choices went out the window the moment I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I do not want to marry an alien, but what else can I do? The veil restricts both my vision and my breathing, and panic is rising within me again. They all seem nice here, but what if it’s all friendly until they announce the main course is human? “It is required for the species you are marrying. It is expected.” “He could be marrying a sentient blob then,” I mutter, given this does not fill me with confidence. What sort of species expects their bride to be covered from head to toe in material this dense? My chief primper, a female Lepke called Kitri, all fluttery wings and twisting antennae, sighs. “It is how it is done on his planet, according to his customs, and you want to start your marriage the right way, don’t you?” I refrain from saying I’d rather not be getting married at all, but since the alternative was death, it doesn’t exactly suit the occasion. “If he wants to marry a rubbish ghost, fair enough,” I say, mostly to myself. From outside the room where I’ve been getting ready, there is the deep sound of a gong. “Time to meet your husband,” Kitri says. “Don’t you mean husband to be?” I query. “Oh, you’re already married the moment you signed the contracts. The ceremony is just to ensure the parties don’t eat each other on sight.” At least the veil hides the way I blanche. “Has that happened?” “Only once, before we introduced the ceremony,” Kitri says happily. “Now everything is fine.” Absolutely nothing about this sounds fine, at all. But what else can I do?"

This book is utterly charming and a ton of fun. Plus, who isn't a sucker for a space minotaur? 5/5 Stars

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely exciting new series. a planet full of Xnossonous who have a new king in Asteron but the clans are unrested and say it would be better if the king was mated before the moon cycle was finished. His vizier tell him about the starlight brides and they will send someone who is compatible to him. Gina is from earth in the United Kingdom area, but the planet has imploded and they are all on a starship, she is an orphan because the ship her family were on imploded due to faulty equipment and has been making a living for herself doing the dirtiest work. She overhears her boss and a dirty Habosu making deals in trading human food and weapons, she tries to hide, but her boss forces her to participate in the starlight brides where she is matched with Asteron, who turns out to be her fated mate.

This is where the story gets really interesting and exciting because her husband, the king falls in love with her and will do anything to help her and she mentioned how her boss and their mutual enemy is taking advantage of the humans. I really enjoyed how Hattie brought in the subject of the Gryn and Asteron where he fought with them in the arena. The Habosu have an axe to grind against Asteron when he change the trading laws and evicted them from his Planet Xnos, they with the help of Ginny boss, capture her and try to ransom her off to her husband, but they don’t plan to let her go. They have severely underestimated the king and his love for his wife and his people who rally around and help rescue Ginny. The story ends where they are surrounded by their children, and with the news that she has a new one on the way. I am looking forward to reading more about this new planet and the people there.

I was given an advanced copy of this book to read and I am reviewing with my honest and fair opinion.

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maintenance worker Ginny's (h) life on the dilapidated Star Cruiser Britannia is anything but glamorous. She faces daily struggles in a world falling apart, only to find herself in danger when she overhears her corrupt boss making a criminal deal with aliens. Convinced to turn to the Starlight Lottery to help her escape the danger, Ginny finds herself matched as bride and breeder to an alien. Asteron (H), the newly crowned King of Xnos, facing political upheaval from clans on his planet, needs a bride to secure his throne. Matched by the Starlight Brides program, Asteron realizes that Ginny is his fated mate, but must restrain himself from showing how much Ginny means to him, which she takes as him not being interested in her. Upon arriving at Xnos, Ginny navigates the alien environment of Asteron's palace, where things heat up quickly between Asteron and Ginny, behind closed doors. An intense connection develops between them, and as political tensions continue to loom, Ginny's presence brings hope and stability. Loved how welcoming the Xnossons were of Ginny - especially her ladies in waiting and the staff at the clothiers. The pregnancy upped the hot and steamy of the story even more, and Ginny and Asteron gladly followed the medic's instructions. Asteron was protective and caring of Ginny throughout, but when her past catches up with her, putting her and her baby's life in danger, Asteron has to step up and save what's his, even as he finds out who has his back. Even a Gryn mention. Ultra-hot and steamy alien fated mates romance with a side of action, drama, and danger, and plenty of kinkery (lactation, breeding, mating stall, fluid fun, knotting, light bondage, and more).

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The MMC is suitably gruff and bull-like. The MFC describes him as,

“I think I know management styles, and Asteron’s seems to consist of growling, glowering, and threatening to fight anyone.”

Who hasn't had a manager like this? The MFC is a typical ordinary earth girl. I liked the bit about how the English had the trashiest ship,

“This is the very bowels of the huge space ship, the one which contains most of what’s left of the United Kingdom after Earth became uninhabitable. Or, should I say, this is the one which contains most of England. I’ve heard the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish ships are in a much better state, which hardly surprises me.”

I suspect U.S. ships would be just as garbage.

The comparison of him vs her made me laugh. She's trying to deal with an unwieldy dress,

“I’m trying to get the thing under control when Asteron strides down the gangway, looking regal in all ways, while I look like I’m trying to wrangle cats in a parachute.”

And this,

“Ahead of us is a set of doors which have to be well over twenty feet high and polished metal which means I can see myself and Asteron in the reflection.

He looks like a king. I look like a cake.”

Totally believable sentiments from a character who is going from “mud lark” to queen.

On the downside, the dialogue between the main characters seemed a little canned at times. The other thing that made me frown a bit was the whole bond thing and how it's not complete until she is giving birth. This excludes a lot of people. What about people who can't or don't want to have young? They never get to complete their bond? That seems sad. Or what if he's not available? The bond can't complete and she can't give birth?

[Moonburst · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Ginny overhears something she shouldn’t, her shady boss forces her to sign up for the Starlight Lottery. She is whisked away and immediately married to King Asteron, a newly crowned minotaur of the planet Xnos. Asteron is shaken when he realizes Ginny is his fated mate, and he plans to protect her by hiding his feelings for her. While Ginny is happy to leave her menial job for the luxury of the palace, she can’t quite figure out where she stands with Asteron as he keeps toggling between hot and cold toward her. Can she find her place on an alien planet and can Asteron convince her of his true feelings?

Ginny is a hardworking and shrewd woman that has taken care of herself for years. While she would not have chosen to partake in a marriage and breeding agreement on her own, she is determined to see her job through and be the best queen she can be. She finds herself extremely attracted to Asteron but tries to guard her heart from him as she is unsure of her place on Xnos. Asteron is head over hooves for Ginny but he knows that showing his affection will cause Ginny to be targeted by political rivals. He is still struggling to establish his reign and establish peace between the tribes, but when he realizes his distance is harming Ginny, he drops everything to pursue their relationship. The development of their relationship and trust in each other is delightful to read, however, I found myself wishing that a little bit more was explored in the nature of the dangers of Xnos and what political maneuvering was largely happening, to give a greater emphasis to the protective measure Asteron was taking.

Alien Minotaur’s Prize is a quick paced, fun, and extremely spicy read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw the ARC sign up for Starlight Brides Lottery go up, the way my little fingers flew over the keyboard! I knew I wanted to read this series so I was beyond thrilled to get ahold of book 1 early.

Alien Minotaur’s Prize is about a human, Ginny, who is working a bottom run job on a starship that houses what remains of the UK’s population. After overhearing her boss’ conversation, she is forced to enter the Starlight Lottery in order have her re-located off the ship. Ginny believes she is entering a job lottery but soon realizes that is not the case.

Asteron, whose father’s untimely death leaves him as King, is advised that taking a wife and starting a family would help stabilize his new reign. His advisor suggests utilizing the Starlight Brides Lottery service in order to have him matched with a compatible partner.

The book is a fun and easy to read. It delivered exactly what I wanted, a couple of hours of entertainment. The book has a solid plot and though some bits were a bit cheesy, this book was a delight. I was trying to explain to my husband the plot of the book telling him to think of it as Star Trek or Deep Space Nine but the alien is a minotaur and a human falls in love with him. To which my husband said the worst part of those shows is the romance to which pouted and huffed at him, then told him he was stupid. Also, pretty sure this makes me way more nerdy than him.

My sci-fi nerdy romance loving self definitely recommends this book and I will absolutely be reading the whole series. Looking forward to January Bell and Ursa Dax’s contributions to the series as well!

[Lia ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

" Such a pretty little queen, impaled by me, so delicious, so ready to take everything I have "



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Story rating: 3.5⭐️ | Romance lvl: 3.75⭐️
Spice lvl: 3.5🌶️  | Smut frequency: 4.25⏳

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Tropes:
🐮 Minotaur MMC x Human FMC
🛸 Alien bride program
💍 Arranged marriage
🔥 Insta-lust / attraction
✨ Fated mates

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~ STORY 📝 ~

If you want an easy-to-read, fast-paced book and like your smut with a little story, this is for you🙌. Especially if you're into everything a Minotaur can bring to the bedroom fun 😏

Here we meet Asterion who just ascended to the throne and now must respect Minoran traditions as the new King and find a mate and breed her. On another part of the universe, Ginny discovers some illegal activities on the ship she works on, and needs to flee for her life. Her only way out is to sign up for an alien bride program. And voilà ✨


~ SPICE 🌶️ ~

If you're reading "Alien Minotaur's Prize", you're in for:

🐮 breeding kink
🐮 lots and lots of fluids
🐮 size difference
🐮 knotting
🐮 he has a very special peen
🐮 erotic pregnancy? (Look, I don't know how to explain, just read it 😂)

Among other things 😌

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This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖

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[Michelle Brashars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeeek I’m so excited about the Starlight Brides series!!! The first book is Alien Minotaur’s Prize by Hattie Jacks! I LOVED this! So much br33dy goodness so if that’s not your thing then just wait for the next book in the series. So we have Ginny, a human mudlarker (basically the lowest of the low) on a ship from Earth who overhears some things she shouldn’t have and needs to flee quickly. She’s taken to the Starlight Lottery where she buys a ticket, they check her dna, and say she “wins” and gets a good job. They’re actually finding brides for other alien species and Ginny has been matched to King Asteron of Xnos. Asteron is a big fierce Minotaur who needs a bride and heir to secure his throne. He doesn’t expect Ginny to be his fated mate and basically just falls head over heels for her immediately. He’s ready to get married and get started making babies 🤤 Ginny is hesitant for half a second until she sees the br33ding stalls and then she decides this life could be alright 😂 Check the content warnings in case br33ding shmink, pregnancy, lact@tion & all that isn’t up your alley. I love it so I loved this book. It was short and so spicy 🥵 Lot of fun in the br33ding stalls. This first book in the series comes out July 18th! I can’t wait for the next Starlight Brides book!!! 🛸💙

[Charna Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always jump at the opportunity to read any of Hattie Jacks’s books. So when I saw this one was available I immediately picked it up.

King Asteron needed a wife plus an heir to appease and bring together his subjects. Ginny needed off of the ship she has lived on since leaving Earth was destroyed. This was due to her “boss” and his shady dealings that she inadvertently walked in on. Obviously she did not want to die. Hence, becoming coerced into signing up for the Starlight Lottery which was really Starlight Brides.

Asteron and Ginny are matched. Reluctantly they start their “relationship” even though there are some issues between the two initially. Which they eventually figure out together in addition to the other problems they had going into their match.

I love happily ever afters and this book did deliver.

I liked the overall story, the continued world building between Hattie Jacks’s various series, and the characters in this book. It was a quick read and I was able to easily finish it in two days.

The only thing I couldn’t really get into was the breeding Minotaur kinks in this book. But that’s just me. I think if I didn’t find it odd or off putting then as a whole I’d easily give the book 5 stars.

An ARC was provided to me and my opinions are my own.

[Trip · Rating 3 out of 5]

“My reason for being. My light, my fire, and my heart.”

I think this was just a matter of perfect timing, it was light-hearted, fast paced and full of spice. A very quick, easy read with lovable characters and all of the steam - they're dated and bond so it was rather fitting.

Also I adored Ginny and that even with the instant lust, she still has her own thoughts and seeks out information. There was a glimpse of plot at the start and scattered throughout; but it was overshadowed by the steamy scenes sadly so didn't get chance to shine.

Still it was a fun story and I adored Ginny finding a home, her falling into the role of queen and the adoration from Asteron is stunning. His obsessed with her from start to finish, the desperation and need just perfect heat and passion here.

Rather unique as well with the setup of like breeding stalls, and honestly so much chaos in their way of life but it made for an entertaining read.

Also loved the epilogue being set in the future, glimpses of their children and life together was lovely. Very much a happy ending for Ginny & Asteron ♥️


Breeding kink
Milking
Tail butt plug
Knotting

Fated
Pregnancy
Bonding

Kidnapping
Mention of death of parents and family in the past

[Leigha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Wow! What can I say but this was one spicy book! Like seriously lots of very spicy stuff, and some interesting spice. 👀 I went in dark for this book and boy was I surprised but in a good way. I've never read anything like this but I enjoyed it. It was a fun, creative read and certainly left me seeing things differently. I found a new guilty pleasure trope. I'm definitely not new to alien romance but this was definitely a new subgenre I haven't read before. 🫠 The characters were interesting and the world-building was great, top tier seriously great concepts and I'm interested to see more in this world. I definitely rec this for those who are very open to things in the spicy nature as it is very different. I don't want to spoil anything but if anyone wants to know just send me a message! 🤐 Overall a very good smutty sci-fi book! I read it in one sitting so take that at face value.

Thank you so much to Hattie Jacks for the earc in exchange for an honest review!

Tropes:

🔥Growly Alien Minotaur
🔥Violence
🔥Knotting
🔥Pregnancy
🔥Breeding
🔥Lots of bodily fluids
🔥Fated Mates
🔥HEA
🔥Dystopian/non-existent Earth