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Love and Other Alien Concepts

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What if you found out your boyfriend was an alien?

Kate, a 37-year-old engineer who always wanted to be an astronaut, has worked for the same company since college and is damn good at her job. She’s built a life anyone would be proud of, from the outside, but it’s a lonely and mundane existence devoid of all adventure. After numerous nightmare relationships, she’d given up on dating… until she meets Elek, who seems too good to be true.

Her instincts are right, but not for the reasons she expected. Turns out, Elek isn't from Earth. He takes her to visit his home, Sequ, to meet his family and learn about the ways of his planet. A rare child of both islands, Elek is constantly in the middle of political turmoil, torn between the highly advanced technology of Sequmors and the warmth and balance of nature on Sequvita, but he is still hiding secrets.

When he and Kate learn that citizens have been going missing from Sequvita and Sequmors may be to blame, they feel compelled to investigate. Utilizing his unique position, they begin uncovering secrets that were better left buried, leaving Kate questioning if Elek is the man she thought he was. With a startling suspect number one, discovering the truth forces them to make life changing decisions. Do you let the monsters win, or become the bigger monster?

This is a spicy, adult, sci-fi romance with adult content like foul language, violence, and rom-com vibes

420 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2024

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Catie O'Neill

5 books23 followers

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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Audrie Reads.
43 reviews7 followers
October 9, 2024
Love & Other Alien Concepts by Catie O'Neill

An ARC Review by Audrie Hopper

I had such a fun time reading Love & Other Alien Concepts! It is a fast-paced and cozy contemporary romance with a sci-fi fantasy twist.

Things I loved about L&OAC:

Catie O'Neill does such a wonderful job writing the interactions between her characters! The dialog, action, and setting descriptions worked so well together that instead of just reading I found myself in that special place that I crave as a reader, where I was able to see through the words and transport myself into the world beyond the page.

Kate's struggles are relatable, for me! I was absolutely the target reader for this novel. I loved watching her become more outwardly confident and practicing what she preached. If you have ever struggled with your self-image, you know that it's easy to SAY the mantras of self-worth and confidence but LIVING that as your truth is a lot harder. Seeing Kate grow gave me warm and fuzzies!

This is an open-door romance, and I thought the sex was steamy and written very well. A note on this, if you are not okay with open door romance, O'Neill has written her book so that the smut is a nice addition to her novel, but not NECESSARY to understanding the plot. You could skip these sexually graphic scenes and not miss out on the world building and relationships that O'Neill a clearly crafted with love and passion!

The relationship between Elek and Kate is one that takes time. Though the pacing is fast, the actual time span of this book makes their relationship more adult and believable. This is something I appreciate immensely in romance novels.

There are a lot of food descriptions. I was a chef in a previous life, so I'm always down for detailed food scenes.

Pop culture references! Kate is a nerd! So, there are a lot of pop culture references. Being a huge nerd myself, who is always quoting movies, memes, and books, I really liked this and often found myself laughing or nodding and saying "same."

I was worried at first that Elek was going to be a TOO PERFECT golden retriever boyfriend, but I am happy to announce that he is a deeply flawed individual with some seriously infuriating tendencies, and I love him all the more because of them!
Profile Image for Samantha Picaro.
Author 3 books30 followers
September 17, 2024
I don’t read sci-fi often but it’s good to get out of my comfort zone. I also give a book a chance based on plot no matter the genre.

The book follows a woman who falls for a guy who turns out to be from another planet. Their whirlwind romance literally takes her to another world that proves to have the same human flaws as earth but also the same hope for a better world.

This is mostly romance but also more than that. It touches on themes and issues like confidence, societal expectations, sexism, family drama and trauma, and more

Also has:
-Women in STEN
-other planets
-space travel
-exploration
-secrets
-political corruption
-strife between societies
-family dynamics
-whirlwind romance
-dog owner MC
-sweet but stubborn male love interest
-literally from different worlds romance
Profile Image for Danielle Robertson.
Author 4 books33 followers
October 8, 2024
What if the handsome, too-good-to-be-true man you met in the grocery store ended up being out of this world... literally?
Catie O'Neill's debut is a delightful sci-fi romance with a dash of adventure and a whole lot of intrigue! Kate, a 37-year-old engineer, is content with the life she's built for herself, but she's never totally felt like she's belonged. Enter Elek: a handsome scientist with a nerdy side. The two instantly bond and their chemistry is undeniable. It turns out, however, that Elek is not from planet Earth. In fact, he's from Sequ, a highly-advanced planet, and he's eager to take Kate home to meet his family.
What follows is a story of political intrigue, family drama, and scientific discovery. There's lots of humor, a delicious dash of spice, and a whole lot of heart. I loved reading about Kate and Elek's personal journeys to learn to accept and love themselves as much as they learned to accept and love each other.
O'Neill is a master of worldbuilding. Sequ is an incredible planet, and the islands of Sequmors and Sequvita are so vivid and distinct. Descriptions of colors, fashions, animals, and natural landmarks were gorgeous and detailed. I loved learning about Sequ and its inhabitants along with Kate. Her background in engineering and her interest in outer space—as well as her fascination and curiosity for anything related to Elek—make her the perfect partner for readers as they discover new things about Sequ.
While the setting may be otherworldly, the romance at the heart of this story feels real and true. I rooted for Kate and Elek from the very first page. I was eager to witness them navigate their personal dramas and to find happiness with each other (on both planets).
LOVE AND OTHER ALIEN CONCEPTS is a lovely debut novel, and I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to read an ARC before the October 24 release date!
Profile Image for Maile Starr.
Author 3 books8 followers
October 27, 2024
"Better to be the monster than to let the real monster win."

The last third of Love and Other Alien Concepts by Catie O'Niell had so many twists and turns that I was on the edge of my seat! I adored the worldbuilding of the alien planet. It's such a unique culture and planet to explore. The relationship between Elek and Kate had a lot of time to develop, they simultaneously feel like adults and giddy teenagers at times.

The author did have to spend some time on relationship and worldbuilding throughout the book. I did find those parts difficult at times, as it does take a bit to get to the alien part, but I think the sci-fi twists towards the end were worth it.

Through this alien society, Catie O'Niell explored many real-world issues: elitism, prejudice, relationship insecurities. Overall, I would say the theme of this book, is that home is wherever love is.
Profile Image for Hope Davis.
Author 19 books161 followers
November 4, 2024
What an amazing Debut from Catie O'Neil! I was lucky enough to proofread and format this book for Catie and I loved helping her make the final touches to her manuscript. This book is fun, funny, and a cute love story. Also I might be biased because there is a cute dog character, but I can't be blamed.
Profile Image for Mandy.
398 reviews5 followers
September 17, 2024
I enjoyed this book, it had cute and fun parts and some serious parts. I would describe this as sci-fi with mystery, romance and some spice. Thank you Catie O'Neill for my ARC.
Profile Image for Summer Seeds.
662 reviews42 followers
October 9, 2025
Kate is an engineer who has always dreamed of being an astronaut and visiting space. She’s dedicated to her job, love being put on the back burner. That is, until she meets the handsome Elek. He’s tall, muscular, and has the most strange and wonderful blue green eyes. He’s also an alien from the planet Sequ. Love and Other Alien Concepts follows their out of this world romance, bringing Kate to a planet that is both strange and oddly familiar to the world that she has always known.

I enjoyed this book. It is cute and fun. I’ve often used the term “cozy smut” to describe Ruby Dixon’s IPB series, and this book follows that same vein. Elek is a perfect golden retriever boyfriend that would do anything to make Kate happy. Their romance is steamy but sweet. His world is not perfect - we see odd customs, crushing societal expectations, prejudice and sexism, wealth gaps - and not everyone is happy to see Elek with a human, but none of that matters. She is perfect to him. Expect plenty of warm fuzzy feels and lots of gushing while reading!

Overall, it was a nice change of pace from some of the more intense books I’ve been reading recently. Sometimes all you want or need is a nice cozy romance palate cleanser. There is conflict sprinkled throughout the book, but the romance stayed at the forefront.

Additionally, characters like Kate are very relatable for someone like me. I, too, am a bit of a sci-fi nerd (and, yes, I did geek out at every pop culture reference I saw). Also, personally, I understand having a thing for hot alien/monster men that would worship the very ground I walk upon.

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I hope to see Catie O’Neill in the future.
Profile Image for N.
73 reviews
October 14, 2024
“But Earth is your home.”
“And Sequ is yours, but neither of us ever felt at home until we found each other. My home is wherever you are, and I don’t see why we can’t be at home on both planets.”


“It’s better to play a monster than let the real monsters destroy your family and everything you love. It’s a small price to pay, in my opinion, and I planned to shoulder that burden forever on my own if I needed to.”

I got an arc copy with Indie Visible Services. The planet Sequ has such a FASCINATING history and geology/geography!!! I loved learning about the planet and the two continents that make it up and the various peoples that live there! I love that the MC is not a teen or 20-something. I want more MCs that are my age and older than me!

This book is also SPICY, although the spice mainly takes place in the first half. I don’t read a lot of spice, so my rating is highly subjective…I’d say it’s 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 chili peppers (or whatever people use to rate spice). At times a lot of detail, at other times not much.

At times the story seemed to drag, especially the wedding scenes (not the main couple's wedding). Nevertheless, get ready for a wild ride, especially in the half third of the book, with plot twist after plot twist. After. Plot. Twist. Some of them I did see coming, but others of which shook me to my core. It has generational trauma and oppression and racism and, I’d argue, a lowkey but obvious genocide. It’s classified as sci-fi romance, but there’s also a magic system OF SORTS.

Y’all should read this when it comes out on October 24!!!!
Profile Image for Kara McCrea.
148 reviews5 followers
October 16, 2024
4/5⭐ 2/5🌶️

Please note this is an ARC review that was so kindly given to me by the author :)

Kate. An engineer who always wanted to be an astronaut. Her new boyfriend Elek. A man who has to rely on boxed Mac n cheese. Oh and he's also not from earth. I really enjoyed my time with this book. As someone in their 30s it was really refreshing to have a female lead who was similar in age to myself. I also related a lot to her as someone who struggles with PCOS and weight issues. It was also really refreshing that due to the characters older ages, miscommunications never stretched on for large periods of time. They handled their problems, big and small, like I would have, talking things through and stating their boundaries clearly. I really hate miscommunication tropes that stretch on for half the book, so not having to deal with that was really nice. Another adorable detail was Keiran. I don't have a corgi, but I have a sheltie who is a hyper herding dog, so I could completely relate to her love and worry over her dog. The relationship between the leads was electric and they had good chemistry. I enjoyed their banter alot. Overall this book was really fun and a nice read. I'd highly recommend it.

"I never thought my life would change so much, so fast— especially not over a box of macaroni and cheese— yet here I am on an alien planet."
Profile Image for Alison Tracy.
Author 1 book5 followers
April 7, 2025
A unique and fun sci-fi romance! I really enjoyed this book. The worldbuilding is absolutely fascinating, and the protagonist is entirely relatable. Her inner dialogue is so believable and really resonated with me—I would have similar reactions if I were in her shoes! I also love that she’s in her late 30s. Elek, the love interest, can seem a bit TOO perfect at times—super hot, super sweet. Their relationship can feel a bit rosy, and the first real conflict between them doesn’t occur until more than halfway through the book. For a fun escape, though, this book truly delivers. I had fun the entire time reading it. Literally, every page was fun to read. This book has so much heart. And if you like your sweet romances to have a fascinating sci-fi backdrop that the story actively pursues on equal footing with the romance, you will adore this book. This is a unique niche for cozy sci-fi romance lovers, and this book really satisfies it. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun sci-fi rom-com. Strong start for a debut book, and I look forward to reading more from this author!
Profile Image for Kimberly Grymes.
Author 12 books60 followers
October 31, 2024
Thank you to Catie for the ARC copy of her debut book, Love and Other Alien Concepts! This story is perfect for readers who love venturing into imaginative alien worlds and cultures, with a generous splash of spicy romance to keep things exciting.

Catie brings an alien world to life with creativity and heart, filling it with unique customs and characters you can’t help but root for. Love and Other Alien Concepts offers a delightful blend of humor, adventure, and romance that is both delightful and fun. The main character’s journey to help solve a unique alien conflict will keep readers engaged and rooting for her. This is a refreshing debut that’s bound to win over readers that enjoy the ‘romcom sci-fi’ genre!

I look forward to following Catie’s author journey for more exciting stories!
Profile Image for Gina D'Arco.
116 reviews15 followers
November 20, 2024
Catie O'Neill's debut is FULL of heart. Her characters are multidimensional with motivations and fears that jump off the page and hit you right in the feels. I found myself nodding along as I read Kate's inner dialogue. I'm not typically a romance or sci-fi reader, but Catie's prose is approachable as an entry to these genres that have previously been out of my comfort zone. I found the technology and world building so fun! Seeing Elek's world through Kate's eyes was both hilarious and whimsical. I won't spoil anything, but the ending was just right. Knowing how personal elements of this story are to the author, it brought tears to my eyes. LOVE AND OTHER ALIEN CONCEPTS is an empowering feminist piece, and dare I say... a timely read. I look forward to reading whatever Catie puts into the world next!
Profile Image for C.W. Rose.
Author 2 books142 followers
November 18, 2024
I enjoyed so much about this book, as I’ve really been liking alien romances lately! I found this to be more of a cozy Sci fi romance, about a woman in her late 30s who’s all but given up on love until she meets a man from another planet.

I loved that the FMC was 37 and in STEM (she’s an engineer!). Elek is definitely book boyfriend material! And I really enjoyed watching Kate grow into her own, find herself, and learning about the new planet alongside her.

I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoys urban sci-fi romance, lots of worldbuilding, cozy books, a faster-paced romance, and of course, STEM girlies and alien MMCs.
Profile Image for Lili Raphaelson.
11 reviews
May 29, 2025
This is a novel which sits at the intersection of science fiction and romance - delivering a story which is both imaginative and touchingly human. Off-world challenges and secrets amplify the interstellar adventures while creating a fantastic backdrop for personal growth, self-discovery, and the courage not merely to step into the unknown, but to embrace it. The romance set up is genuine and beautifully, incrementally done - so when things go awry you truly find yourself rooting for Elek and Kate. This is a wonderful debut novel, and I'm very glad to have the author's second book at the top of my TBR pile!
Profile Image for Shaquilla Lunsford.
Author 5 books40 followers
October 27, 2024
This was a sweet, almost instalove scifi romance with a romantasy vibe. I loved the idea of it taking place between Earth and another planet of genetically advanced humans. I enjoyed the conflict on the planet and the underlying mysteries that were resolved towards the end. There were a lot of characters with Elek's family being so large, but their personalites molded well with each other and tied in well with the rest of the story. Overall it was an easy, cozy read.
Profile Image for Cat.thebookworm.
185 reviews3 followers
October 5, 2024
I enjoyed this sci-fi romance story, was a pleasant enjoyable read. I knew there was something 'off' with Crispr but i didnt expect it to be that, there was a few unexpected twists in the story too. The descriptive writing was perfect for me, i could just imagine the other planet and creatures perfectly like i was there.
Profile Image for Sam Schreiber.
Author 2 books10 followers
October 24, 2024
Cosy romantisci for all the geeks and nerds out there who are romantics at heart. O'Neill has created a rich world and a host of lovable characters to emerse yourself in for this fast-paced, easy read. 5/5 recommend to anyone longing for an escapist romantic adventure that scratches the same itch amazing fanfic can scratch.
Profile Image for Neida.
48 reviews
April 29, 2025
Great story, well written

I really enjoyed this book and once I got into it, couldn't put it down. The characters are well developed and are relatable as they aren't perfect. It isn't as common to see a FMC in her late 30s and I loved it! I look forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Melissa Widmaier.
Author 5 books21 followers
October 16, 2024
This was a cute story, like Star Trek with lots and lots of romance. I liked the heroine's sense of humor. And, as a fellow Corgi mom, I totally loved the pup in this story. The twist at the end was pretty awesome too. Definitely a must read for sci-fi romance lovers.
Profile Image for Jorie.
227 reviews13 followers
February 4, 2025
What's the story behind those tattoos, indeed! 😜 Loved this book for all of its tender and fun romance, awesome alien adventures, and tasty culinary details! Such a good heart squeeze on finding ways to mend the hurts too 💙💙💙
70 reviews
September 16, 2025
Such a fun Debut!

If you love sci fi but also romance you absolutely must read this book. I absolutely adore Elek and Caty! And the dog side kick is the best 😁
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews