When the Third Moon Rises: An MM Alien Romance Novella

by Howl Avery

After becoming the victim of an alien abduction, Rex finds himself in a whole other world—literally. Following being sold by his captors, he enters an intergalactic auction, where species across the universe can be bought for every purpose imaginable. With a final bid to seal his fate, Rex soon learns he’s been purchased to meet certain needs for his new alien. Yet, Rex is pleasantly surprised when the tall, tentacled amphibian taking him home proves himself less a monster and more a doting caretaker. Now life is looking good on this new planet, and Rex can even see himself developing feelings for someone who has been nothing but kind to him—until he finds himself hosting a pregnancy he never agreed to.


When the Third Moon Rises is a 33K spicy alien mm romance with egg preg and a HEA.

Genres: M M Romance, Aliens, Romance, Science Fiction, Queer, Fantasy, Erotica

195 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2024

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️

I can get used to eating mysterious goo and being cuddled day in and day out. It’s much better than working retail.

A sweet alien mini romance, with an unexpectedly caring alien and a surprise pregnancy.

The octopus anatomy was a little weird, as was the egg-preg, but Lumin was the sweetest cuddly alien ever, and the telepathy thing was a nice add-on.
I was expecting it to be more smutty, but I still had a fun time in this odd alien world.

Don’t ever let anyone make you believe love is dead. Sometimes all it takes is extraterrestrial abduction and parasitic impregnation.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Abduction/sold at auction
- Dub-con
- Language barrier
- Surprise pregnancy/egg-preg
- Tentacles
- Atypical anatomy
- Belly-bulging

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

So bloody cute!!!

I loved this alien / human romance so much. Lumin is absolute goals for a partner!!

The birth scene was even more disgusting than human birth and kinda made me feel a little queasy 😂 The absolute cutest alien romance I've read.

[Audi♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shewweee they took face fuckin to a whole new level 🥵 This was adorable, hot n cheesey... A little silly how Rex was so chill about everything but I had fun.. The way Lumin turned into a giant snuggle pancake the whole book 🥺 I loved them.

[Mug · Rating 2 out of 5]

ughhhh it could’ve been sooo good, but it was so underdeveloped and needed more substance…the ending came so quickly and at a point where it felt like the REAL story should’ve began, that is if this wasn’t instalovey bs🙄 at least it was a freebie😂

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really hard for me to rate. Although I liked it, it’s not really my kind of story. I’m just not into tentacle sex. I almost walked away when I first started reading, but I’m glad I didn’t. I don’t enjoy books with too much inner monologue, but of course it was necessary in the beginning. Once they learned to sort of communicate the story really picked up for me. If being abducted by aliens and used as a breeding machine doesn’t bother you then I highly recommend it. I have to admit I loved the ending.

[Sebby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written exclusively for the gays that took one look at Davy Jones while watching pirates of the Caribbean and wanted to know what it would be like to get tapped by that

[Mello · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, BookSirens and the author, for the opportunity.

What to expect:
📍Alien abduction
📍Helpful tentacles
📍Language barrier
📍Mpreg
📍Nesting
📍Lots of cuddles
📍The sweetest alien

This is the story of how an oblivious human was abducted by weird-looking aliens, traveled galaxies, got sold, then auctioned to a lonely tentacled frog-like alien that communicates by lightning up his body, and finally saved the whole alien species by popping out a few babies (first reluctantly, but later he took the breeding kink seriously 😂).

Would you believe this is not about the smutty and kinky sex, and it's focused on feelings, cuddles, getting over the communication barrier, and falling in love against all the interspecies obstacles? Well, you should because that's what happened here. I'm currently looking for a cuddly tentacled creature for myself 😭 because the way that alien pampered him was something out of this world.

This book is very short, so it's a great choice if you are looking for a sweet and light read, with low angst and charged with feelings. Beware of the mpreg tag, because MC being pregnant was the main point of the story and you get a lot of details. I loved that but it's not everyone's cup of tea.

A few things bothered me, like some trivial facts that were left unsaid and information about the world setting missing, but that is mainly my fault because I'm an obsessive reader who needs to know even the most irrelevant details to enjoy a book. That being said, this is a novella so it was understandable that the author didn't dwell on it, but I would be interested in reading other books with similar settings 👀✨.

PS: MC being naked since his auction and never feeling shy about it was mind-blowing to me. There were no similar fabrics to work as clothes, but he adapted so quickly 😂 I could never...

[Bobby's Reading · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely ADORABLE and stinkin’ CUTE! And this was my first M/M MPREG ROMANCE, and it didn’t disappoint! Quick and steamy, REX and LUMIN’s relationship was worth the read! Would recommend if you love ALEIN ROMANCES!

[Leigh Gaskill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Was so. ADORABLE!

I loved how alien it was. I don’t know how else to describe it. Lumin is very clearly not human, not of our galaxy, and clearly a bit out of depth with humans but he is so willing to learn.

Rex acts probably the exact opposite of how I would act if I was abducted and sold. I would be the human bought by the crocodile man (IYKYK <_<). He handles things really well but he’s not gonna take any crap either. These two are so good together!

Don’t skip the TW!

[Shelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be interesting and give 3.5 stars but rounded to 4. First, Rex is a human that is kidnapped by alien traffickers. I found his ability to handle the situation a bit unbelievable because he did not freak out. During the entire time, he was only curious about his surroundings and the other beings he is being held with. Lumin, is the alien that buys Rex. This is where I began connecting to the characters as it became about their relationship and communication. To begin with, they cannot communicate verbally so Lumin uses his tentacles to tap Rex and Rex projects his thoughts to Lumin. Lumin cares for Rex in the sweetest ways and Rex gives Lumin a cute nickname, Happy Pancake. It is a quick read that does have warnings, so heed those. I will say, it also gives off happy vibes with the way these two interact and show their feelings. Rex also has some funny thoughts thrown in here and there. Overall, it is an okay read about a kidnapped human and tentacled alien.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

!

One of the wilder alien/monster descriptions I’ve read in a while. Fans of BG3 Emperor or Davey Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean, you might like this.

The alien love interest was absolutely adorable. Definitely my favorite part of the writing.

Once you get past the kidnapping and market scenes to the love interest scenes, the story flies faster.

Spice: 3-4/5
Angst: 1/5

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aliens!

3.5⭐️ So this book was free on Amazon featuring tentacle alien abduction and I thought why not? I was pleasantly surprised there was more depth to the story! Nice quick read with sweet aliens, tentacles and finding love.

[Renn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strikes me as a lighter version of Earth Fathers Are Weird by Lyn Gala

[LittleDucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

Okay, I that was just really cute and sweet. Short read packed with emotional development. These two had a few rough patches but I wouldn’t mind being abducted by an octopus lookin dude if that’s how it shakes out 😉😉😉

[iam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been fun, but wasn't.
There were some cool ideas for the aliens, but it was all surface level and refused to add any depth or put any more than surface thoughts into the worldbuilding.

There was no emotional investment, the characters couldn't even talk for 90% of the book other than yes/no questions only one of them could ask, and they had bascially no interactions other than the initial rape (and it absolutely was rape, even if the main character convinces himself otherwise) and the non-stop cuddling afterwards.

Rex was an incredibly passive main character. He gets abducted, sold, raped, and then just lays around in bed getting cuddled and waited on by aliens. At no point does he really question anything. I usually don't mind characters that go along with the bad hands they have been dealt and try to make the best of it, I usually even really like such charactes, but Rex truly did nothing. He was such a blank.

The romance was pretty much non-existent. It, again, is based on the alien buying and raping Rex and laying eggs in him and I guess then cuddling him???

There's also the whole thing of Rex insisting he has free will, because after he finds out about the eggs WEEKS after it happened the alien offers him an abortion if he really wants it. Nevermind that he wasn't even asked for consent at any point before. There even is a whole scene at the end about Rex making a speech about how he is chosing all this. It felt bizarre.

The one thing I liked was some ideas about the aliens and their communication with light impulses on their skin. Aside from the lack of worldbuilding, this was however also ruined by the added telepathy they have.

For anyone who wants to read a well executed alien romance featuring tropes of alien abduction, tentacles, egg laying, cute alien babies, language barrier/cultural misunderstandings and such, I highly recommend to read Earth Fathers are Weird instead.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alien Octopus & Urth Man

Your car breaking down late at night on a dark road can lead to some very exciting and unbelievable happenings. How about being kidnapped a d sucked up into alien territory and being auctioned off.

That’s what happened to this guy who has nothing going for him on Earth. After being passed along in a strange cage on a conveyor belt, he is bought by a strange looking Creature he describes as resembling an Octopus.

The planet’s population has ceased growing and they are dying out. Hence the need to import new blood. Man has named his purchaser, who seems like a leader here, as Lumin. Maybe because his many tentacled body lights up in various colour when they mate.

However, Man (I don’t think he’s named here) hasn’t copped on to the fact that he will become pregnant, and he will give birth and save the colony.

He also didn’t count on falling in love.

Yep, so this was the weirdest book I’ve ever read and much kudos to Howl Avery and their super imagination. I couldn’t stop turning the pages, I was wanting to know how all this was going to work out for Man.
Did he want ‘Call Home’ (like ET) 😂

This was surely something completely different and well worth the few hours it took me to read it. This was one not steamy octopus.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHEN THE THIRD MOON RISES is a standalone novella featuring a human abducted from Earth and sold as a s3x slave. Rex is quite laid-back about it all, knowing (after seeing something first-hand) that things could be worse. He also didn't have any family, friends, or life really worth fighting for back on Earth. Lumin is the alien and was absolutely adorable.

The relationship between these two has its ups and downs - communication, different worlds, you know, that sort of thing - but it works. My favourite part was the fact that Lumin remained 'alien'. He didn't suddenly sprout a human body and anatomy. Nope, he stayed a happy pancake, and I loved that.

This was a fantastic read that was done in one sitting with a huge smile on my face. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 11, 2024

[... · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new-to-me author and an utter delight! It's so rare with m/m sci-fi/alien romance to get something truly ALIEN, complete with language barrier and/or true cultural differences. Angel Martinez does it really well, and of course G.L. Carriger's The 5th Gender and Lyn Gala's Earth Fathers Are Weird. But other than those, nothing else comes to mind... until now.

This is definitely an author I'll be reading more of, and while a quick glance at their (currently) small catalog looks like they're all over the place irt sub genres, I sincerely hope they write some more alien/sci-fi m/m romance, whether that's based on Lumin's culture, other spin-offs from the abduction auction, or something totally new. If it happens, I'll be here for it! 🥰

[CandaceElaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and edited.
This was literally one of the most bizarre books I've read. An egg laying squish man alien that can't speak yet there is an incredible amount of two way dialogue. While on the topic of dialogue there were many WTF moments; MANY. This was a very entertaining book; I never knew what to expect. It's a quick easy low angst read.
Rex the super chill human man was abducted from earth then sold in the auction to an alien. He kinda just went along with everything.
Lumin, an gender undefinable alien purchased the human with his intentions known however Rex miss understood. They work through a complete inability to communicate, Epreg, birth and all of their feelings.HEA. Spicy ***

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

[hails]

What a short and wholesome book! Though the characters aren’t quite flushed out and I do wish there was more information given about the new planet, this was still an enjoyable read. It was a great palette cleanser as I usually read more action packed and/or dark stories. It was refreshing to see a love interest who truly cared for the MC and didn’t betray them. Additionally, I like that they had to adapt to communicate with each other as they’re different species, therefore meaning they would undoubtedly need to sort out their differences to make their relationship work. Everything regarding the concept of the alien species is creative and fun; I can’t help imagining them as cute giant slimes.

Final rating: 3 stars.

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

[Anushka Bagde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought tears to my eyes, it was so emotionally wrenching and I fell hard for Rex and Lumin. I think I felt the emotions and their love for one another more clearly since there were language barriers. Their love language is literally physical contact and that was so hot! So sweet and so-I can't describe it, it's so much more! Rex's responses were understandable and I was happy when they reconciled. The entire book felt so sweet and caring and I fell in love with Lumin's entire species, they're so giving! I won't say more, for spoilers but this book was so different from the other romance books I've read and I'm glad I did. I'm looking forward to getting my own copy!

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

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

You should definitely ask before putting your eggs in the human basket.

It’s somewhat lovely to explore the non-human-human-love story and I very much liked the not communicating part. Actions do speak louder than words.
Although off to a rocky start, the storyline evolves to a heartwarming nesting setting, and I had to laugh a few times on the hick-ups they have to face.
Some parts of the every day life could be more detailed or mentioned at all. Rex is also quite docile to follow the events but would like to have been asked in the first place. Well, consent given after the deet is tricky and gave me a strange vibe. Could have been explained by some mating pheromones or alien thingy, though.
Sweet ending, and I like the sentiment of it but is it all he is good for? What does he do all day?

[Sharon L · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Then it’s your lucky day. You’re about to be given the chance of a lifetime. Try to enjoy it while it lasts.”

Howl Avery did an amazing job with this tentacle tale. I love Howl's style and I've read/reviewed everything they've written. When I got notified from BookSirens that this ARC was available I couldn't push the gimme button quick enough.

This was such a fun quick read. There wasn't one thing I didn't like about this book, it left me with all the feels.

Extraterrestrial kidnapping (in other words alien abduction), intergalactic human trafficking, sold to the highest bidder, communication issues, I want some cake fruit now

[Nicole van Dongen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the first alien abduction story I've actually enjoyed all the way through! Poor Rex is stolen and sold at auction, but is smart enough to realize he could be much worse off based on what he's seen and can figure out. Knowing that the being he dubs Lumin has purchased him for carnal activities, he figures his best bet is to try and go with the flow. I adored our fluffy pancake alien! The ability these two had to communicate, and discussions of feelings and consent with no verbal interaction was so well done. I loved this short, and immediately went and picked up all of Howl Avery's other books to add to my TBR!

[Darktwistybookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

• Alien Abduction
• Sold for breeding
• MPreg
• Eggpreg
• Communication barrier

This was a really fascinating read!
I didn't know what to expect when I went into this book - it was an impulse/curiosity pick, but it had me glued to the pages while it all played out!
What surprised me the most was that while the book is about a human male being sold for breeding, it's actually not that smutty. The Alien MC is a completely adorable cinnamon roll, and the focus is around the two MCs and how they navigate a massive communication barrier along with pregnancy. It was incredibly sweet, and by the end, I just wanted to give them (and their babies) a hug!

[Emilyrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was absolutely smoking hot throughout - it took tentacles to a whole new level! I enjoyed the dynamic between them and it was actually really sweet how they developed their own language of signs to communicate. 'Lumin' was so protective and caring; I wish we'd learned a little bit more about exactly what his role was and what his planet was like. They stayed in one place for most of the story and, although, it was steamy and all about the characters together, I think knowing more about the wider world would have developed the book as a whole. Still a good read though (check the trigger warnings -alien abduction and everything you'd expect from this!)

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story quickly grabbed my attention and didn't let go.
The basic story goes far beyond a stereotypical alien abduction book,
and the main characters are wonderful.
Rex the abducted human, and the alien who Rex names Lumen,
are incredibly cute and sweet together.
I love the skillfully intelligent way the author unfolds the plot, descriptions,
steam, and romance in this science fiction story.
The emotions and cuddles are adorable.
There is nesting, egg laying and hatching in this entertaining book.
Highly recommended!

[Becky A · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When the Third Moon Rises" received FOUR stars.

The novel gained *stars* for these items:

* gained for: "The book caught my interest in the first five pages."

* gained for: "I thought about the book when I was forced to set it down and re-enter society."

* gained for: "There were no info dumps, poor writing, or copy edit mistakes that jerked me out of the story."

* gained for: "I was sad when the book ended. I wanted more!"

The novel failed to gain stars for this item:

NO STAR gained for: "That's it. I'm hooked on this author. I will automatically try anything she/he/they writes."

[Satanic Rat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really weird read. As in it wasn’t at all what i was expecting for an alien auction/abduction book, but it was surprisingly good.

It would have been cool with both main characters getting a pov. But it was still good in only one pov.

Even though he was a guy, the vibes and inner voice of the the main character that we get the pov for, felt very female. I kept having to remind myself that the charater was male not female.
He also did not freak out as much as one would think rational when you don’t have a uterus and discover you’re pregnant and gonna have butt babies.

[Nicole Graythorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick afternoon read. Lumin is an extra sweet clingy tentacled alien and Rex is a rather open minded curious human. Despite questionable circumstances bringing them together, their romance blossoms through affection and respect.

Overall not really a dark story beyond the initial abduction. Would be interested in seeing more of Lumin's world.

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