Alien Marshal's Misunderstood Love Blossoms

by Fay Serena

"What if your online plant buddy was secretly an alien war hero?
Dive into this quirky alien romance filled with cosmic misunderstandings and intergalactic adventure!

Tom, an Earthling botanist, finds his perfect match in the charming Mimas on an online plant forum. Unbeknownst to him, Mimas is a celebrated Marshal from the plant planet Arborea and Folia, where reproduction happens through flowering!

Their virtual friendship blossoms into a captivating friends-to-lovers romance, but hilarious misunderstandings arise. Mimas's requests for "seeds" and the mysterious appearance of magical exotic flowers at Tom's doorstep baffle him, triggering strange allergies and vivid dreams. Meanwhile, the lovesick Marshal is frustrated by Tom's obliviousness to his romantic advances.

When their forbidden interspecies romance is discovered, it's a comedy of errors. Tom finds himself in a secret love affair, challenging his beliefs about love and biology. Can their love survive interplanetary miscommunication and cultural clashes?

"Misunderstood Love Blossoms" is a feel-good, slow-burn sci-fi romance with unique alien biology, quirky humor, and heartwarming moments. This LGBTQ-friendly space opera features diverse characters, first contact, and hilarious misunderstandings. Get ready for an out-of-this-world love story!

Genres: Queer, Science Fiction, M M Romance

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2024

Reviews

[Audi♡]

Dnf 13% Love the cover, but I have zero clue what is going on rn. It's confusing. The writing style is throwing me off. So many metaphors, and the jokes aren't funny.

"He is a bona fide war hero. Under his oh-so-capable command."
🤨cringe

[ari ⋆˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

˚ ༘♡ pre-read:
╰┈➤ starting - february 2. 2025

are we back in my alien romance phase 🧍🏽‍♀️

┆ ⤿ 💌 3 stars!

I dont know what it is about alien romance that is just so goofy and fun for me. This one was DIFFERENT but I liked it cause it was so unique from the typical alien romances book out right now in genre.

Anyways yes this man is literally a tree. And I don't mean tall like a tree he is literally a tree. So that was new lmao

｡ﾟ• ┈ ┈ ┈ ┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈ ┈ ┈ ┈• ｡ﾟ

⤿ follow me on instagram!

[Fernanda Fatio]

DNF @ 51% and I’m so confused. Am I the only one who has no idea what the heck is going on? Is Tom in Australia or in the US? How it can be cold in Australia if it’s December? The DEA is an American agency. Surely a couple of minutes of research would show the Australian equivalent. How can Tom have a bachelor, a master and a doctorate complete with a teaching position within 5 years? Is a genius and we don’t know?
The inner conversations for the Marshal is a confused ramble. He fell upon seeing Tom and crushing this other Mimas. Tom brings the other Mimas (who is actually Midas) home and they don’t even talk? A 2-minute conversation would make Tom realize this is not the same person, surely? And who are all these other people suddenly throw in the story? Mr. Leo? Ethan? The generals and so on? How did Mimas and Tom connected online through different planets and exchange packages without understanding the languages?
Ok, I went back for a bit more and when Tom is on jet, his first thought is “Oh, I have never been overseas”. Uh, is there a city named Australia in the US and I don’t know? What does the author think “overseas” means?

The cover is beautiful but the story needs lots and lots of editing and polishing, unfortunately.

[Guilherme William]

DFR. The writing style is so freaking weird. It almost feels like the author is right there over your shoulder. An unseen presence that oversees every scene.

Also the amount of times I could picture the author giving themselves a little pat on the back, going “yeah, that’s so clever” is insane.

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus )]

DNF

The cover is beautiful and the premise seemed silly and fun but unfortunately the writing style just isn't for me.

[Alonte Gordon · Rating 1 out of 5]

complete brain rot

Honestly I have not idea what’s happening by about a third of the way through. It could’ve been so good. Like I like the concept and the idea but this was weird and felt like it was written to be complete brain rot.

I’m skimmed through hoping anything makes sense. But even the world building feels lacking. The reviews I read were lies.

Fay, I am sorry. I had to DNF this book. It was worse brain rot than a murim manhua with bad translation. 😭 I wanted to like it. I wanted to LOVE IT. Hence why I forced myself to read to page 79. The one star is the best I could give it because it started cute. I would’ve given it a .5 stars.

[Driima · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not even sure what to say.
As beautiful as this cover is, sadly the writing is not.

This seems to be a new author and I would love to be enthusiastic and full of praise.
Unfortunately this did not work for me on so many levels and I am neither enthusiastic nor full of praise.

Finishing this, I am just sad. The idea of this story was great. Botanist, plant people, aliens, miscommunication, flowers, nerds, generals. It should have been great, it could have been great. But the execution is just so poor, I am not only dissapointed, but also sad and even a bit angry. Normally, I am not this harsh with my reviews, but in this case, I'll just be blunt.

There are things I really did not like or which irritated me immensely.
There was no consideration whatsoever for this taking place in Australia. This disregard, it actually felt kind of insulting at times, and I am european, not australian.
DEA. Really? Two minutes of internet research were too much to find the australian equivalent? And to see, that "DEA" would mean something totally different in australia?
This is just one example. One of the first that made me stumble, but unfortunately not the last or biggest.
Best of all was "Christmas in the cold winter." NO. It's not winter in australia in december. It is summer! The very best was when it snowed on Christmas Eve. In Australia. It was a true Christmas Miracle. (See the sarcasm dripping?)
Why the heck chose australia as location if you know nothing about it nor care enough to find out anything about it?
This author should be ashamed of either their lack of awareness or of showing such desinterest and disregard in their own writing.
Same with the timeline. He left home at 18, went to australia and 5 years later has his finished Dr. degree in botany? And is teaching. As a professor. Not even in an assistent position, but full professor. Really? Let's see, bachelor, master & Doctor. Finished in 5 years. But yes, of course.

Then names. Funny, how property manager Max, planter of trees and flowers in the garden, suddenly was someone called Old Rian. It's Magic.

This book is a prime example, why I sometimes mourn more and more author's self-publishing. Did anyone beta-read this? At all? For more than grammar and spelling? For example, content-wise? Other than some enthusiastic and supportive friends or family? Just saying!

The writing style itself is very peculiar. It's mostly present tense which can work. But then, there are short passages of, for example dreaming, where the narration suddenly changes to past tense. Also the chosen execution of present tense is a bit odd, so in the end, it often feels irritating.

Overall, it's like reading a book with a running commentary. You read the actual story and every other sentence is like a comment on the story by a second narrator. It completely takes the fluidity out of the narration, makes it choppy and bumpy.
And instead of it getting better, it got worse. Whole passages of omniscient commentary. It sucked all the fun right out of the story. Actually, there was not much left of an actual story at times. It was just weird.
No natural development, no flow. There was just no depth or tension. Random elements were thrown in, like Midas, Aliens galore, ridiculous and senseless developments that went nowhere.

I mean, there is imagination and being a bit casual with logic and facts, and I applaud literary freedom and creativity, but that is never ever an excuse for gaping plotholes, ridiculous solutions or missing research of the 2 minute google kind.

Was this supposed to be a crackfic? I don't know. If it was, it even failed in that regard. I mean, I suppose some of it was meant to be funny or witty, but it felt just overdone and weird. There is a fine line, and here, it was annihilated.

The book got more and more abstruse and nearing 50%, in parts, the story got really atrocious.
No explanation for outrageous things like accidentally using the www from a different planet, postal mailings, hidden corridors,
bottomless plotholes, on-going mistakes like the christmas in winter thing affecting the storyline (pruning!?) and even whole text passages copied, and used again only two pages later. The author did not even try to make any sense or create something believable and interconnected.

Funny enough, nearing the end, there was actually one part I liked. Right after being rescued from the alien planet, on the spaceship back to earth. That part was quiet nice. It was actually what I was hoping for when I picked this book up. A flowing story, witty and entertaining. No smart-alec comments.
Unfortunately, it quickly went back to being the same mess of a story as before.
So the author CAN do it, just chose not to? I have no idea what to think.
Overall, I stuck it out to the end, this being a new, and new to me author. Sometimes books start out not so great, but the second half might redeem the whole thing. But no, not in this case. I am sorry to say, this was just not good and I am sad to have wasted my time on it, hoping for it to get better.
It did not. It was not completely aweful, there were some good bones, and the main ideas are actually really imaginative and unique, but as a whole, it was just not good. Maybe, with a complete rewrite, it could be funny and cute, but in this version? Lost time.

Except for the cover. That one IS georgeous.

[...]

DNF @21% ... I REALLY wanted to love this one, but just couldn't 🤣 Years of reading m/m romance has wired my brain for a certain style of storytelling that this very much wasn't, and even though the story was creative and kind of fun, it read like something from a pulp sci-fi magazine from the 40s (but gay) and that's really not what I'm looking for in my alien plant-person gay romance right now. 🤣🤣🤣

[Jane Blu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start seemed like a typical YA written in that almost wattpad vibe like narration which I didn't mind, so I went on to read the actual story… Boy was I surprised. It was not a YA romance… It's a weird and freaky alien universe that goes beyond chaotic!

I've read other reviews after finishing the book, and I kinda get why they dnf this. The pacing is a bit weird, there's a lot of repeated facts, the narrative is messy and sometimes doesn't make sense, the lore and world building tends to get too busy as well. But beyond that and story wise? It's so crazy and hilarious that I just couldn't stop reading. (Probably shows how my brain is entertained by weird and shallow humor a lot… But let's not dwell on that.) It's kinda sad though that the reviews praised the cover while saying they dnf, while that said cover is AI art. Their words kinda went like, “It's unfortunate because the cover is pretty but the story is just not it.”

The story is about a simple and normal Tom who went away to Australia to be free of his overachieving family. Here he becomes a botanist and gets to be as nerdy as he can. The drama starts when he starts messaging a stranger online, named Mimas, and ends up enjoying his company without knowing that he is an alien from a planet that harbors plant-people. As in, plants who can shapeshift to human form!

The whole misunderstanding is just so dumb that it's funny. And the lore doesn't end with just plant-people, because then there's other aliens and stuff and I couldn't keep track with the world building I just rolled with it.

I seriously believe the author is having a fever dream while writing this because it's just so quirky that it poses as clever but then it becomes too much hahahaha. (Picture the plant-alien sending “his” flowers to his beloved who's a human, and so our MC has no idea what those flowers mean. If you know your biology, iykyk.
Ps. has one Smut scene, but that's it.)

This book is not for everyone… I am not sure why I finished it in one sitting 😂😂

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Delightfully Quirky and Unforgettable Sci-Fi Romance

“Alien Marshal's Misunderstood Love Blossoms" by Fay Serena is a refreshingly offbeat, laugh-out-loud interstellar romance that delivers charm, humor, and a unique twist on love across galaxies. If you’re looking for a sci-fi romance that isn’t afraid to get weird (in the best way possible), this book is a must-read.

The story follows Tom, a botanist who thinks he’s just making a new friend in an online plant forum—only to discover that his chat buddy, Mimas, is actually an alien war hero from a planet where plants are the dominant species. What follows is a delightful mix of cultural clashes, hilariously awkward misunderstandings, and a slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked. From botanic miscommunications to unexpected “seed” requests, the book plays with the absurdity of interspecies love while still keeping the romance endearing and heartfelt.

Fay Serena does an excellent job with world-building, bringing Arborea and its floral inhabitants to life in vivid detail. Mimas’s alien customs and Tom’s cluelessness make for plenty of comedic moments, yet there’s a real emotional depth beneath the humor. The exploration of communication barriers—both literal and romantic—adds a layer of depth that makes this more than just a quirky love story.

While some parts of the book may feel a bit chaotic, especially as the romance unfolds, the sheer originality of the premise more than makes up for it. If you love unconventional sci-fi romance with an LGBTQ+ twist, fascinating alien cultures, and a good dose of humor, this book is a fun and heartwarming ride.

Final Verdict: 🌿💚 An utterly unique, intergalactic rom-com that blends sci-fi weirdness with genuine heart. It’s funny, it’s sweet, and it’s definitely unlike anything you’ve read before.

[Melissa Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An LGBTQ Blooming Love Story


There is a sweet beginning to this book where Tom has a special relationship with plants and struggles to connect with people, except for one person, Mima, who he adores, and he said to him, "I WANT MY TREE TO BLOOM THE MOST SPECTACULAR FLOWER, JUST FOR YOU." And then Mima's gifts Tom a flower that is most fragrant at night, "THE BEAUTY OF FLOWERS IS MEANT TO BE SHARED AND LOVED" Mima's real name is revealed it's Marshal Lord Mimas Zampas Martin Luther Rex. Mimas rose to power on the twin planets of Arborea and Folia. Mimas has high levels of responsibility, and when he finds downtime, he browses the internet and texts Tom. Mimas secretly fears that Tom will reject him. Tom sends seeds for his plants to Mimas using the super express option. Tom and Mimas have a loving connection. They connect online and send each other gifts. Mimas sends his gifts to earth where Tom lives. He sends numerous trees for Tom to plant in his yard, not realizing that Tom only has a small living space where he can not grow trees. Mimas' gifts are making Tom ill and even comatose. Mimas and Tom agree to spend Christmas together sending xoxo messages.

Mimas is an alien. He discovers he is part tree, and his roots have sunk into the ground, locking him in place. Since Mimas is occupied, Tom starts talking to Midas Blake. People are starting to realize they are two gay men. Midas Blake is dangerous and kills four people.Tom finds out Mimas is bald. Mimas finds out that Tom is an earthling. Tom tells Mimas he loves bald heads and vows to shave his head bald, too! Tom becomes intimate with Mimas and then tells his parents he is gay. This is a beautiful love story between two males. They have many hurdles to overcome. That is the strength of their relationship. It's a very entertaining book. It's very much a higher level of love.

[B.T. Skylark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aliens and Love, a good read

Alien Marshal’s Misunderstood Love Blossoms is a quirky, fast-paced interstellar romance that blends cosmic absurdity with genuine heart. The premise alone is delightfully off-beat: a botanist, more comfortable with plants than people, finds herself unexpectedly entangled with an alien lawman whose idea of courtship is as bewildering as it is endearing. What follows is a madcap collision of cultural misunderstandings, laugh-out-loud moments, and a surprisingly tender emotional arc.

The author balances the comedy and romance beautifully. The humour is sharp, leaning into the absurdity of alien customs, misinterpreted idioms, and unexpected plant-based diplomacy, but it never loses sight of the characters’ emotional journeys. The alien marshal is more than just a comedic foil—his awkwardness and sense of duty make him oddly charming, while the botanist’s quiet resilience and dry wit ground the story.

The world-building is playful without being overwhelming, giving us just enough alien politics, starship antics, and space-station shenanigans to keep things vibrant. The slow-burn romance benefits from the constant “lost in translation” dynamic, making every moment of connection feel earned.

If there’s a minor quibble, it’s that some of the misunderstandings stretch plausibility, but they’re so entertaining you hardly mind. By the final act, the emotional payoff feels as big as the laughs, and the romance blossoms into something that feels both otherworldly and relatable.

Perfect for fans of light-hearted sci-fi romance, banter-driven love stories, and anyone who likes their space operas with a dash of rom-com chaos. This book is proof that love really can transcend galaxies—and even the odd tentacle or two.

[Elizabeth's Besties · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alien Marshal’s Misunderstood Love Blossoms: A Hilarious Interstellar Romance

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Alien Marshal’s Misunderstood Love Blossoms, but I was completely hooked from the first page. The story follows Tom, a socially awkward botanist who accidentally starts an intergalactic romance with Mimas, a fearsome alien warlord who expresses love through flowers. Their online friendship starts off innocently enough—just two plant lovers geeking out—until Mimas sends Tom a rare bloom that turns out to be a full-blown marriage proposal. Tom, of course, has no idea, and the resulting chaos is both hilarious and strangely heartwarming. I laughed out loud at Mimas’s dramatic floral declarations and Tom’s utterly confused reactions. The supporting characters, from Mimas’s bewildered military subordinates to Tom’s skeptical but loving family, add even more layers of comedy and charm. The writing is sharp, witty, and packed with just the right amount of absurdity to keep the story moving. Even with all the humor, there’s real depth to the romance as Tom and Mimas navigate cultural misunderstandings and unexpected feelings. Fans of sci-fi rom-coms like The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet or Ice Planet Barbarians will absolutely love this book. It’s a wild ride full of interstellar antics, laugh-out-loud moments, and surprisingly tender romance. If you’re looking for something unique, charming, and completely unforgettable, this one’s a must-read. I’ll never look at flowers the same way again!

[Daniel Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Hilarious and Surprisingly Heartfelt! A Blooming Sci-Fi Delight!

This book is pure interstellar joy! I went in expecting a quirky sci-fi romance and got that—and so much more. Tom, the sweet, clueless botanist, and Mimas, the overly romantic alien war hero with a green thumb (and possibly green… everything?), are the most unexpectedly perfect pair I’ve ever read.

The misunderstandings between them had me laughing out loud—from mysterious “seed” requests to unexplainable dream-flowers showing up at Tom’s door. The humor is top-notch, but what really surprised me was how tender and emotionally resonant the story became. Under all the comedic misunderstandings and flowery innuendo is a genuinely touching tale of love, identity, and interplanetary connection.

The worldbuilding is wildly creative—mpreg through blooming??—and the slow-burn romance is a masterclass in mutual pining and missed signals. I adored watching their friendship awkwardly blossom into love.

If you love found family, gay space shenanigans, nerdy science banter, and alien misunderstandings that make your cheeks hurt from smiling, this one’s for you. This book is weird, wonderful, and so full of heart.

Please let there be a sequel—I need more awkward flirting, more magical flora, and more Mimas.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alien Love

“What if your online plant buddy was secretly an alien war hero?”, great tagline! In "Alien Marshal's Misunderstood Love Blossoms," readers are invited into a quirky MM fantasy and alien romance filled with comical misunderstandings and thrilling sci-fi space escapades. Earthling botanist Tom finds an unexpected match in Mimas, a charming alien from Arborea and Folia, where reproduction through flowering creates a unique form of mpreg. As their virtual friendship evolves into a captivating romance, comical mix-ups ensue, with Mimas's requests for "seeds" and mysterious magical flowers puzzling Tom. Their forbidden love, filled with interplanetary miscommunication and cultural clashes, challenges Tom's beliefs about love and biology. An uplifting, slow-burn that is perfect for young adults and up, seeking a heartwarming space opera romance.

[Louise Lilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this because of the interesting blurb and the botany theme. Not to mention the beautiful cover! I love plants so I was excited to read a book with lots of plant talk. But it was too much botany talk even for me.

I think the premise was very interesting but not executed so well. If the book was edited a bit more and toned down, it would be quite good. The writing style was very juvenile and full of buzzwords and millenial speak. There was also too many POVs, the world building was very confusing and so many details that didn't make sense to me. The romance kinda got lost along the way...

Yay for plant shifters! With some more work, this could be a wonderful story .

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. Look, I’m sure some people might love this but first of all. I loathe reading third person present tense. Secondly by the time I got about half way through my patience bottomed out. There was little to nothing as far as romance goes, and a bunch of new characters. I wanted an MM sci-fi but it was more of a sci-fi written by someone who really likes Good Omens. Nothing wrong with that but it was just not what I expected.

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird and funny romance

This book was so funny and unexpectedly sweet. The plot felt very original and absurd, which I liked. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but the mix of sci-fi, romance won me over once I got used to the characters and their misunderstandings. It’s weird, but in a funny way. It made me laugh and gave surprising cute moments. If you’re into weird and unnexpected love stories, this is a good one.

[Angela Breemen · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting interstellar romance

Tom, a botanist, connects via intergalactic internet with Mimas, a being from another galaxy. It doesn't take him long to realize he has met his soulmate. Together, Tom and Mimas face the usual uncertainties and vulnerabilities of love including cultural and biological differences. You see, Mimas is a tree that has evolved to take humanoid form. This story is imaginative unique and refreshing.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute as heck

This was super interesting to read. The writing style was very different to what I normally go for so that was a nice change. And the alien is an actual alien compared to other alien romances where the love interest is humanoid or close to. 5⭐ I totally want to read more about Tom and Mimas. And hopefully more about the world's mentioned in the book.

[Elsie Bartolic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of an oddball story about a botanist and an alien plant-man falling in love. There are plenty of misunderstandings, and a cute conclusion. I do feel it is a decent short read but could definitely have been made better by flushing out the details instead of short matter of fact explainations or maybe a 2-part narration.

[T. Isajanyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted wonky...

I got something even my vast imagination had never cooked up. My brows are raised, and I'm wondering what to even think. Looked fun, it's definitely hilarious at times, but a good edit would have worked wonders. Not sure I can ever look at garlic the same way again?

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

An Out-of-This-World Concept That Missed the Mark

I wanted to love Alien Marshal's Misunderstood Love Blossoms, but it fell flat. The humor felt forced, and the romance lacked depth. While the premise is intriguing, I'm not convinced that interstellar dating is a great fit for young adult or adult readers. It just didn’t resonate with me.

[Shyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good plot, but...

Okay, I loved the humor, loved the characters, and loved the plot, BUT... the book needs editing. There are several places where paragraphs are repeated (like the author was trying to decide which version they liked more) or characters named were mixed up. I have this 4 stars because the story was good, but I took off a star due to the editing.

[Miss A · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

This book is such a fun, quirkly ride! The romance is super original, with tons of hilarious mix-ups and sweet moments. I loved the weird but creative world-building and the cute chemistry between the characters. It’s light, feel-good, and totally different from anything I’ve read!

[AABarton]

DNF: 77%

Writing was all over the place. Trying too hard to be quirky instead of putting thought and logic into this world. Too many scene jumps, too many random characters and species added, no foundation to explain how anything truly works in this world. There were some cute scenes, which is why I kept going, but eventually had to give up.

[Antawn Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not typically a fiction reader, but this book was the definition of an unexpectedly great time. It had the romance, several laugh-out-loud moments, and it was an enjoyable experience. The story unfolded much differently than I expected, but that is another great thing I enjoyed about it as well.

[Ruin · Rating 2 out of 5]

No. just no.

There's a fine line between comedy and absolute ridiculousness, and frankly I can't even fathom where to start with this one. Having finished this I find myself baffled and absolutely confused. Honestly just, no.

You want ridiculous done right? Try the "Murder Sprees and Mute Decrees" series, at least that made me laugh.

[Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and Funny

I would have passed this book up at first because the cover didn’t appeal to me. However when I started reading it, I was hooked because of the novel idea of a modern interstellar love story. I would not say that the book is outright hilarious but it can bring a smile to your face. This is highly recommended especially for our LGBT sci-fi fans.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky, funny, sweet…

This book is one wild ride! The whole premise—an Earth botanist falling for an alien war hero who happens to reproduce through flowers—sounds completely bonkers, but it works. Underneath all the comedy, there’s a really sweet message about love, communication, and connection across differences. It’s offbeat, original, and full of charm.