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Sunastara & the Venusian: A Space Cruise Romance
On this deep space pleasure cruise, love is in the recycled air
As the hospitality specialist aboard an infamously debauched interstellar pleasure cruise, Sunastara Nex never mixes work with pleasure. But she knows more than most how little the universe cares for rules and order. For the most worlds-shattering one-night stand of her life just became the newest member of her crew.
Freddie is as gorgeous as she remembered, still unbearably tempting, and still very interested. Unfortunately, he’s also strictly off limits. Until he comes up with the wildest seduction strategy this side of the wormhole.
But while Sunny and Freddie hide their romance in a world of make-believe, a very real threat puts their ship and possibly the entire Known Universe at risk. Faced with the unknown, they’ll have to decide whether they’ll fight for a future together, or let the gravity of their pasts tear them apart.
As the hospitality specialist aboard an infamously debauched interstellar pleasure cruise, Sunastara Nex never mixes work with pleasure. But she knows more than most how little the universe cares for rules and order. For the most worlds-shattering one-night stand of her life just became the newest member of her crew.
Freddie is as gorgeous as she remembered, still unbearably tempting, and still very interested. Unfortunately, he’s also strictly off limits. Until he comes up with the wildest seduction strategy this side of the wormhole.
But while Sunny and Freddie hide their romance in a world of make-believe, a very real threat puts their ship and possibly the entire Known Universe at risk. Faced with the unknown, they’ll have to decide whether they’ll fight for a future together, or let the gravity of their pasts tear them apart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
November 30, 2024
3.8 ⭐
This was by no means perfect, but I loved it so much!! 💖
The story is intriguing, the romance is both really hot and really sweet and deep.
The secondary characters are really interesting from the robot to the giant aliens I've loved them all.
: ̗̀➛Spaceship romance 🚀
: ̗̀➛grumpy x sunshine ☯️
: ̗̀➛adult content 🔥
: ̗̀➛sarcasm 🥸
: ̗̀➛mourning 😢
: ̗̀➛aliens 👽
: ̗̀➛she likes to play cupid 💘
: ̗̀➛he's a walking green flag 🟢
My only problem with this book is the slight confusion (especially during the first half of the book) at the mention of every tech name, alien race etc. I would suggest a page with a summary of those looking forward to the second instalment of this adventurous story!
The author achieved a perfect balance between adventure, plot, love story, back story, and side characters in less than 300 pages.
She managed to go deep with heavy topics (deaths in the MCs backstories) but also made me laugh out oud.
Now I can't wait to know what happens next... especially to our beautiful AI robot/assistant with her latest upgrade...that's going to be a lot of fun!
Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
So excited about this book, it has The 100 vibes but add aliens and smut.
Ch2. They meet on alien Tinder
Ch3. They're about to do very dirty business....
I'm very intrigued 😏
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc. All opinions are/will be my own.
This was by no means perfect, but I loved it so much!! 💖
The story is intriguing, the romance is both really hot and really sweet and deep.
The secondary characters are really interesting from the robot to the giant aliens I've loved them all.
: ̗̀➛Spaceship romance 🚀
: ̗̀➛grumpy x sunshine ☯️
: ̗̀➛adult content 🔥
: ̗̀➛sarcasm 🥸
: ̗̀➛mourning 😢
: ̗̀➛aliens 👽
: ̗̀➛she likes to play cupid 💘
: ̗̀➛he's a walking green flag 🟢
My only problem with this book is the slight confusion (especially during the first half of the book) at the mention of every tech name, alien race etc. I would suggest a page with a summary of those looking forward to the second instalment of this adventurous story!
The author achieved a perfect balance between adventure, plot, love story, back story, and side characters in less than 300 pages.
She managed to go deep with heavy topics (deaths in the MCs backstories) but also made me laugh out oud.
Now I can't wait to know what happens next... especially to our beautiful AI robot/assistant with her latest upgrade...that's going to be a lot of fun!
Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
So excited about this book, it has The 100 vibes but add aliens and smut.
Ch2. They meet on alien Tinder
Ch3. They're about to do very dirty business....
I'm very intrigued 😏
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc. All opinions are/will be my own.
October 10, 2024
OK, I'm going to cheat a little bit and copy and paste my five-star review from when this was called Love in the Time of Wormholes, because I loved it just as much in its rereleased form... and maybe even more, because we got a new hot prologue!
tl;dr: This will scratch your Fifth Element itch, if you have one. Which I do, in a big way.
--
Hey, want a space romance that is the perfect balance between romance and sci-fi? [Sunastara and the Venusian] is it, friend.
It’s so well written and plotted, it’s funny, it’s extremely hot, it’s touching, and it’s full of wonderful characters, none of whom are quirky cardboard cutouts.
Sunastara is wonderful, an accomplished flirt and sexually voracious, with a sad back story that makes her keep people at arm’s length. Her chemistry with the charming Freddie is off the charts, and it’s so lovely to see them work their way to a HEA.
The world Jess Hardy has built is great, with enough details to feel real but not so many that it distracts from the central story and subplot.
My only gripe is that considering the shop holds perhaps dozens of interplanetary species, Hardy sticks surprisingly rigidly to the male/female dichotomy. I guess I would have expected some more interesting genders in a population like that.
CW: Child loss (in the past)
Thanks to the author for the advance copy!
tl;dr: This will scratch your Fifth Element itch, if you have one. Which I do, in a big way.
--
Hey, want a space romance that is the perfect balance between romance and sci-fi? [Sunastara and the Venusian] is it, friend.
It’s so well written and plotted, it’s funny, it’s extremely hot, it’s touching, and it’s full of wonderful characters, none of whom are quirky cardboard cutouts.
Sunastara is wonderful, an accomplished flirt and sexually voracious, with a sad back story that makes her keep people at arm’s length. Her chemistry with the charming Freddie is off the charts, and it’s so lovely to see them work their way to a HEA.
The world Jess Hardy has built is great, with enough details to feel real but not so many that it distracts from the central story and subplot.
My only gripe is that considering the shop holds perhaps dozens of interplanetary species, Hardy sticks surprisingly rigidly to the male/female dichotomy. I guess I would have expected some more interesting genders in a population like that.
CW: Child loss (in the past)
Thanks to the author for the advance copy!
December 10, 2024
ARC provided for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book! Sometimes with sci-fi, the setting is a major character in the story. In this case, space and the various spaceships/space stations involved weren't the focus of the story. Rather, the characters and their arcs were. This is a fun read for over the holidays when you're hoping to escape your family. That's when I plan to do my reread.
I'm looking forward to reading more books by Jess K. Hardy that combine sci-fi and romance.
I enjoyed this book! Sometimes with sci-fi, the setting is a major character in the story. In this case, space and the various spaceships/space stations involved weren't the focus of the story. Rather, the characters and their arcs were. This is a fun read for over the holidays when you're hoping to escape your family. That's when I plan to do my reread.
I'm looking forward to reading more books by Jess K. Hardy that combine sci-fi and romance.
January 16, 2026
New Year, new to me author! I decided to give this book a try because it sounded like it could be a lot of fun. This story revolves around the hospitality team of this space cruise ship. Sunastara (Sunny) has been working here for 5 years trying to cope with her past trauma and trying to forget. she goes on a blind date one day and pretends to be Phoebe and she meets Joshua (aka Freddie) and ends up having the best night of her life. They part ways assuming they'll never see each other again until he ends up back on the ship working with her team. Surprises shenanigans and a touch of suspense ensue as well as multiple character romance and healing.
I have to say, the hook up between Sunny and Freddie was probably one of the hottest things I've ever read. He was smitten at first sight and worshipped Sunny from the moment they met. They had a bit of a rocky start when he came on the trip but he ended up helping Sunny heal from her past traumas and enjoy living again. It was beautifully described. I also liked all the side characters: the hospitality crew and some of the passengers who were a range of beings.
My overall rating is probably a 3.5 rounded up to 4. There were some lulls in the story after 50% and the third act plot didn't seem to fit so much to me but I had a great time.
I have to say, the hook up between Sunny and Freddie was probably one of the hottest things I've ever read. He was smitten at first sight and worshipped Sunny from the moment they met. They had a bit of a rocky start when he came on the trip but he ended up helping Sunny heal from her past traumas and enjoy living again. It was beautifully described. I also liked all the side characters: the hospitality crew and some of the passengers who were a range of beings.
My overall rating is probably a 3.5 rounded up to 4. There were some lulls in the story after 50% and the third act plot didn't seem to fit so much to me but I had a great time.
December 16, 2024
Here’s what I know: I can absolutely 100% put my trust in Jess K. Hardy to write something I don’t even think I’ll like (sci fi) and she’ll have me in the palm of her hand by the end of the story. Did I expect to find myself crying in the middle of a book about an outer space pleasure cruise ship? No, no I did not, and yet that is the beauty of Hardy’s writing—she takes you through all the emotions from laughter, to sexy times, to grief.
Sunastara and the Venusian on the front end, is not what I would typically envision as a romance due to its setting, and yet it had the most wonderful heart a romance reader could want. It was a breath of fresh air to read a romance in a futuristic universe and I loved all of the quirky sci-fi world building elements, many humorous and most fascinating. Sunny is the Hospitality Director for the Ignisar, a pleasure cruise on one side of the worm hole. When her one-night stand “Joshua” shows up as the newest crew member, Sunny cannot believe the odds that she would ever see the most memorable night of her life again face to face. Sunny is a modern woman. She doesn’t do relationships, she never dates a co-worker, but she sure knows how to have a good time. Fortunately Freddie, aka Joshua has a proposition that might ease Sunny into the idea of entertaining something more with him.
Jess Hardy is excellent at writing “book boyfriends”; men that women love and fall hard for, and WOW! is Freddie at the top of my list. Sure he’s handsome, intelligent, and charming, but he also really wants to woo Sunny, he genuinely listens and remembers things about her, he is a caretaker and kind to others, and also great with kids—basically the whole package. There is a beautiful moment between Sunny and Freddie where he helps her through her grief that I will probably never forget (see above mentioned sobbing) and he’s so patient with Sunny as she processes her loss. This book is also smoking hot, from their dating app hook up to the malfunctioning pleasure pods, Hardy knows how to write steam. The emotional investment combined with stellar storytelling make Sunastara and the Venusian a book that I know I will continue to think about after the last page has been read. I received an early copy. All opinions are my own.
CW: child loss, loss of a spouse and grief surrounding this
Sunastara and the Venusian on the front end, is not what I would typically envision as a romance due to its setting, and yet it had the most wonderful heart a romance reader could want. It was a breath of fresh air to read a romance in a futuristic universe and I loved all of the quirky sci-fi world building elements, many humorous and most fascinating. Sunny is the Hospitality Director for the Ignisar, a pleasure cruise on one side of the worm hole. When her one-night stand “Joshua” shows up as the newest crew member, Sunny cannot believe the odds that she would ever see the most memorable night of her life again face to face. Sunny is a modern woman. She doesn’t do relationships, she never dates a co-worker, but she sure knows how to have a good time. Fortunately Freddie, aka Joshua has a proposition that might ease Sunny into the idea of entertaining something more with him.
Jess Hardy is excellent at writing “book boyfriends”; men that women love and fall hard for, and WOW! is Freddie at the top of my list. Sure he’s handsome, intelligent, and charming, but he also really wants to woo Sunny, he genuinely listens and remembers things about her, he is a caretaker and kind to others, and also great with kids—basically the whole package. There is a beautiful moment between Sunny and Freddie where he helps her through her grief that I will probably never forget (see above mentioned sobbing) and he’s so patient with Sunny as she processes her loss. This book is also smoking hot, from their dating app hook up to the malfunctioning pleasure pods, Hardy knows how to write steam. The emotional investment combined with stellar storytelling make Sunastara and the Venusian a book that I know I will continue to think about after the last page has been read. I received an early copy. All opinions are my own.
CW: child loss, loss of a spouse and grief surrounding this
z-dnf-2025
February 11, 2025DNF 30% this just isn’t quite the plot for me.
January 30, 2025
Jess is truly the queen of writing romances that are sexy, funny, immersive, and important, and this book is no exception. Sunastara and the Venusian was heartfelt, achingly real (you know, for a sci-fi novel), and beautifully inclusive.
Sunny was an incredibly fun and vibrant FMC, but she was also hurting deeply and (maybe not so secretly) struggling, which made her all the more easy to relate to. She was strong and brave and I'm so so glad I got to witness her growth. Then we have Freddie, whom I just want to keep forever. He was so patient, so kind, even when he was hurting, too. The depth of these two characters was beautiful, and watching them come together was mending.
Romance aside, the mysterious subplot of what was going on on and behind the scenes of the ship was also really well-done, in my opinion. I think it was important that it happen the way it did for a lot of reasons, the greatest of all obviously being for Sunny's character and what Sai had come to mean to her. (And oh my gosh, Sai was an absolute joy to my heart.)
Overall I am once again amazed by Jess' ability to write romance, even in space, with such depth and substance. Definitely another winner for me!
Sunny was an incredibly fun and vibrant FMC, but she was also hurting deeply and (maybe not so secretly) struggling, which made her all the more easy to relate to. She was strong and brave and I'm so so glad I got to witness her growth. Then we have Freddie, whom I just want to keep forever. He was so patient, so kind, even when he was hurting, too. The depth of these two characters was beautiful, and watching them come together was mending.
Romance aside, the mysterious subplot of what was going on on and behind the scenes of the ship was also really well-done, in my opinion. I think it was important that it happen the way it did for a lot of reasons, the greatest of all obviously being for Sunny's character and what Sai had come to mean to her. (And oh my gosh, Sai was an absolute joy to my heart.)
Overall I am once again amazed by Jess' ability to write romance, even in space, with such depth and substance. Definitely another winner for me!
November 29, 2024
I absolutely loved "Sunastara & the Venusian"! From the glamorous setting of a luxury space cruise to the heartfelt romance, this book hooked me from start to finish. Sunastara (Sunny) is such a relatable and well-rounded character—strong yet vulnerable—and her chemistry with the mysterious Venusian love interest was electric.
The world-building was incredible, with vivid details that made me feel like I was right there, sipping alien cocktails and watching cosmic sunsets. The story perfectly balances humour, adventure, and emotional depth. Beyond the romance, I loved how Sunny’s journey of self-discovery added a deeper layer to the story.
Jess K. Hardy’s writing is fresh, witty, and so engaging. The pacing kept me turning pages, and the romance was everything I could’ve hoped for. If you enjoy sci-fi with a heartfelt romance, this book is a must-read. Five stars, no question!
September 22, 2024
ARC Review! (Thanks Jess!)
Office romance, in SPAAAAACCCCEEE
I pictured this book like the love boat but like ya know a giant space ship. I loved Sunny and Freddie! He was just what she needed to heal from her trauma. He was so sunshiney and perfect. Sunny was so broken and just going through the motions until she met him. I loved all the side characters; even the villains!
Office romance, in SPAAAAACCCCEEE
I pictured this book like the love boat but like ya know a giant space ship. I loved Sunny and Freddie! He was just what she needed to heal from her trauma. He was so sunshiney and perfect. Sunny was so broken and just going through the motions until she met him. I loved all the side characters; even the villains!
January 2, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley for the digital ARC!
This was a fun and spicy read! It was out of my usual genre of reads but I am so glad I took a leap. Jess K. Hardy is an excellent writer and I have loved everything she's written. I could picture every character in my brain and feel their emotions and conflicts...even the more unusual ones. ;)
This was a fun and spicy read! It was out of my usual genre of reads but I am so glad I took a leap. Jess K. Hardy is an excellent writer and I have loved everything she's written. I could picture every character in my brain and feel their emotions and conflicts...even the more unusual ones. ;)
December 11, 2024
An arc was provided by the author which had not affected my review.
This was a fun, funny romp on a space cruise - what a fun setting - that dealt with deep grief and featured insta-love/attraction. It was sexy and had a bunch of wonderful side characters. The sexual tension was well-written and propelled the story, though I think the underlying plot/mystery may have been shorted a bit.
It's romance, so that is not the important part. I could have used more emotional building scenes between the principals that were other than pining as well. Small intimacies did build up but they were later and didn't do a good job underpinning the trust in the relationship for me.
Still, it was fun and entertaining and a world away, so I'd recommend it to those interested!
This was a fun, funny romp on a space cruise - what a fun setting - that dealt with deep grief and featured insta-love/attraction. It was sexy and had a bunch of wonderful side characters. The sexual tension was well-written and propelled the story, though I think the underlying plot/mystery may have been shorted a bit.
It's romance, so that is not the important part. I could have used more emotional building scenes between the principals that were other than pining as well. Small intimacies did build up but they were later and didn't do a good job underpinning the trust in the relationship for me.
Still, it was fun and entertaining and a world away, so I'd recommend it to those interested!
December 24, 2024
genre: sci-fi romance
Sunastara Nex is the hospitality specialist on board the Ignisar space cruise liner. She's thrown herself into her job as a way to [not] process the grief from her past, and her job is making sure the passengers on the cruise have a pleasant journey. Boundaries are not her strength, though, and she uses the Squee hookup app to find pleasure where she can, with whomever she can. This is how she meets Joshua, with whom she has an exquisite one-night stand, which is great until three months later she sees him walking into her staff meeting as their new languages and customs officer... his name is Freddie, and Sunny is going to have to really test her professional boundaries.
This was tough for me for all the reasons that other readers will probably end up loving: it's a contemporary romance set in space with the window dressings of sci-fi. Written in first person, there's a cinematic quality to the book, and there are times I was convinced I was in an episode of Star Trek DS9 or Babylon 5. For those less comfortable with SF worldbuilding, Sunastara and the Venusian is an easy entrypoint into some spicy fun in space. I found the pacing difficult - Hardy spends time detailing flashy tech and giving readers that cinematic feel, then focuses on the romance, and then focuses on the external conflict, rather than connecting all of those components. I think this will strongly appeal to readers who grew up on Star Trek but don't read much SF. The space cruise gives the book a cozy feel, which will appeal to many readers looking to slowly branch out of a comfort zone and into some science fiction.
This wasn't for me, but I can imagine it'll work for a whole lot of readers looking for big feelings, a spicy romance, and some outer space fun.
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an eARC for review. Sunastara and the Venusian is out 12/10/24.
CW: death of a child off-page prior to the events of the book
Sunastara Nex is the hospitality specialist on board the Ignisar space cruise liner. She's thrown herself into her job as a way to [not] process the grief from her past, and her job is making sure the passengers on the cruise have a pleasant journey. Boundaries are not her strength, though, and she uses the Squee hookup app to find pleasure where she can, with whomever she can. This is how she meets Joshua, with whom she has an exquisite one-night stand, which is great until three months later she sees him walking into her staff meeting as their new languages and customs officer... his name is Freddie, and Sunny is going to have to really test her professional boundaries.
This was tough for me for all the reasons that other readers will probably end up loving: it's a contemporary romance set in space with the window dressings of sci-fi. Written in first person, there's a cinematic quality to the book, and there are times I was convinced I was in an episode of Star Trek DS9 or Babylon 5. For those less comfortable with SF worldbuilding, Sunastara and the Venusian is an easy entrypoint into some spicy fun in space. I found the pacing difficult - Hardy spends time detailing flashy tech and giving readers that cinematic feel, then focuses on the romance, and then focuses on the external conflict, rather than connecting all of those components. I think this will strongly appeal to readers who grew up on Star Trek but don't read much SF. The space cruise gives the book a cozy feel, which will appeal to many readers looking to slowly branch out of a comfort zone and into some science fiction.
This wasn't for me, but I can imagine it'll work for a whole lot of readers looking for big feelings, a spicy romance, and some outer space fun.
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an eARC for review. Sunastara and the Venusian is out 12/10/24.
CW: death of a child off-page prior to the events of the book
October 11, 2024
A space romance? Yes please!!
This was equal parts romance and sci-fi and now I need to dive into more from this series. I wasn’t aware this was a republishing of “Love in a Time of Wormholes” and I’m hoping we get a republishing of the rest of the series because I’m having a hard time finding copies of the other two books.
Sunastara “Sunny” was such a fun character yet complex emotionally with her healing process after losing her child. She’s a hospitality specialist on a space pleasure cruise, which is basically an intergalactic match maker, and she’s very good at connecting those around her. After a heart stopping, steamy start with a one night stand set up through an app that uses aliases for anonymity, she finds her partner from said night, Freddie, is actually the newest member hired for her crew. Thus ensues a forbidden workplace romance. But is it really forbidden because they work together, or is Sunny just scared to open herself up to love because she’s still dealing with her own grief from the loss of her child? Meanwhile, an external threat is looming over some very important passengers amongst their ship that threatens not just their passengers but the whole of the Known Universe.
The side characters played an important part in adding to the world building and creating a full plot line to keep the story pace moving in between the threatening and very spicy moments. And speaking of spicy moments, the pods malfunctioning had me cackling because poor Elanie had to endure fixing said problem while Sunny and Freddie had their hands full with each other.
I would also mention to check trigger warnings for loss of a child (in past history reference). This was a very integral part of Sunny’s storyline and healing process and it is referenced often.
Thank you NetGalley for ARC.
This was equal parts romance and sci-fi and now I need to dive into more from this series. I wasn’t aware this was a republishing of “Love in a Time of Wormholes” and I’m hoping we get a republishing of the rest of the series because I’m having a hard time finding copies of the other two books.
Sunastara “Sunny” was such a fun character yet complex emotionally with her healing process after losing her child. She’s a hospitality specialist on a space pleasure cruise, which is basically an intergalactic match maker, and she’s very good at connecting those around her. After a heart stopping, steamy start with a one night stand set up through an app that uses aliases for anonymity, she finds her partner from said night, Freddie, is actually the newest member hired for her crew. Thus ensues a forbidden workplace romance. But is it really forbidden because they work together, or is Sunny just scared to open herself up to love because she’s still dealing with her own grief from the loss of her child? Meanwhile, an external threat is looming over some very important passengers amongst their ship that threatens not just their passengers but the whole of the Known Universe.
The side characters played an important part in adding to the world building and creating a full plot line to keep the story pace moving in between the threatening and very spicy moments. And speaking of spicy moments, the pods malfunctioning had me cackling because poor Elanie had to endure fixing said problem while Sunny and Freddie had their hands full with each other.
I would also mention to check trigger warnings for loss of a child (in past history reference). This was a very integral part of Sunny’s storyline and healing process and it is referenced often.
Thank you NetGalley for ARC.
November 21, 2024
This was so much more than “The Love Boat” in space (although that is a great catchy descriptor for the story). We find Sunny as a hospitality specialist on the Ignisar, sent off ship to a company "retreat." Where she manages to find a Tinder-style one-night stand that is the stuff dreams are made of. What Sunny does not expect is to later find Freddie again, as the new cultural person assigned to the Ignisar. Not wanting to mix business and pleasure, they settle into a friendship with each other amid the watchful eyes of the rest of the crew. A friendship with simmering tension and a lot of emotional baggage that eventually comes to a boil.
This story has the humor, the heart, and the absolutely bonkers ship passengers like Garran that make it incredibly fun to read, and incredibly easy to fall in love with not only Sunny and Freddie, but everyone around them. The hijinks are worth a read alone. But the real heart of everything is Sunny and Freddie. Their connection, and the unspoken secrets that threaten to keep them apart (there are some emotional histories for both of them). And also some political-style thriller moments that one would not normally expect from a pleasure cruise spaceship wandering between the planets.
I loved that the leads were older, that they had a push and pull that kept things moving and respected each other's boundaries (even when it was hard). And that even the miscommunications and omissions made sense in context. Jess Hardy writes "mature" romances so well (The Bluebird Basin series is a favorite), and it extends into space romance perfectly. I found myself blinking back tears one moment, and laughing out loud the next as I read this one. I hope we can come back and revisit the Ignisar again (there are a lot of stories left to tell with this ship and crew).
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This story has the humor, the heart, and the absolutely bonkers ship passengers like Garran that make it incredibly fun to read, and incredibly easy to fall in love with not only Sunny and Freddie, but everyone around them. The hijinks are worth a read alone. But the real heart of everything is Sunny and Freddie. Their connection, and the unspoken secrets that threaten to keep them apart (there are some emotional histories for both of them). And also some political-style thriller moments that one would not normally expect from a pleasure cruise spaceship wandering between the planets.
I loved that the leads were older, that they had a push and pull that kept things moving and respected each other's boundaries (even when it was hard). And that even the miscommunications and omissions made sense in context. Jess Hardy writes "mature" romances so well (The Bluebird Basin series is a favorite), and it extends into space romance perfectly. I found myself blinking back tears one moment, and laughing out loud the next as I read this one. I hope we can come back and revisit the Ignisar again (there are a lot of stories left to tell with this ship and crew).
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
December 9, 2024
This laugh-out-loud workplace romance in space will have you applying for a position on a pleasure cruise of your own.
This is a laugh out loud, romcom, with compelling main characters and super interesting supporting characters. I have so many highlights from this. The story is creative and the worldbuilding is unique enough to feel fresh, but also pulls on tried-and-true tropes that are central for romance lovers like me.
There is also a low-key critique of corporate culture that threads throughout this story which I loved.
A few of my favourite quotes:
"For the last time Sunny, I will not dislocate your shoulder to get you out of this training. No matter how much you beg."
"Like he was a G-spot psychic"
"Don't take this the wrong way Sai, but you're a teeny bit terrifying"
Read this if you love
- The Love Boat in space
- Witty Banter
- One night stand
- Romcom
- He falls first
- Cinnamon roll golden retriever MMC
- Black cat FMC
This is a full story, no cliffhanger, but the secondary characters are so developed that I hope we get to return to this ship and keep exploring love with them. I am especially interested in the twins who are the head of security.
This is my first Jess K Hardy book but it will not be my last.
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC.
This book is best read after the pleasure pods on your ship malfunction, you'll definitely need some recovery time.
This is a laugh out loud, romcom, with compelling main characters and super interesting supporting characters. I have so many highlights from this. The story is creative and the worldbuilding is unique enough to feel fresh, but also pulls on tried-and-true tropes that are central for romance lovers like me.
There is also a low-key critique of corporate culture that threads throughout this story which I loved.
A few of my favourite quotes:
"For the last time Sunny, I will not dislocate your shoulder to get you out of this training. No matter how much you beg."
"Like he was a G-spot psychic"
"Don't take this the wrong way Sai, but you're a teeny bit terrifying"
Read this if you love
- The Love Boat in space
- Witty Banter
- One night stand
- Romcom
- He falls first
- Cinnamon roll golden retriever MMC
- Black cat FMC
This is a full story, no cliffhanger, but the secondary characters are so developed that I hope we get to return to this ship and keep exploring love with them. I am especially interested in the twins who are the head of security.
This is my first Jess K Hardy book but it will not be my last.
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC.
This book is best read after the pleasure pods on your ship malfunction, you'll definitely need some recovery time.
November 13, 2024
Well, this is quite the twist on the workplace romance - work-space romance? could that be a thing? - and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author strikes the perfect balance on the world-building: enough information woven in where appropriate without over-explaining or distracting from the plot. There's a cast of extremely well-drawn and disparate characters, there's an ongoing intrigue which builds up to a knuckle-biting conclusion, and at the centre of it all is a beautifully developed romance. Sunny is dedicated to her job and her own pleasures as a coping mechanism to deal with past tragedy and is determined to avoid anything deeper, but Freddie proves to be downright irresistible - and the various events and facilities on a pleasure cruise ship are deployed to great effect in, ahem, furthering their connection. Full of funny, emotional, spicy and tense moments in turn, this is a captivating read that will stay with me for a long time.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
September 19, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
TW: loss of a child off page
Sunastara Nex is a hospitality specialist aboard a pleasure cruise known for its debauchery. While at a at the annual Winter Revel she meets Joshua, a sexy Venusian looking for a night of fun. After an amazing night they part ways, but not for long because as it turns out Joshua is really Freddie, and he’s the newest member of her crew. Sunastara has strict policy: dating coworkers is a no-no, but can she resist Freddy’s seduction?
Freddie can’t forget the amazing night he spent with Phoebe. He’s pleasantly surprised to discover she’s the hospitality specialist on his new ship. She’s set on separating business from pleasure, so he comes up with a wild seduction strategy she can’t resist. It’s not all fun and games. When a real threat puts their ship at risk, they’ll have to decide whether it’s worth fighting for their future.
Freddie and Sunastara’s chemistry was to the nth degree. The spicy scenes were off the charts. I loved their banter and that they shared the same quirky sense of humor.
This book was a lot of fun and the serious topics are handled with grace. Sunny experienced a great loss that had a profound effect on her. She’s scared to get close to anyone again, so Freddie comes up with the idea of using their alter egos while he woos her. He’s gentle with her, and it was lovely to watch as he proves to her she’s worthy of love. I enjoyed watching Sunny slowly bring down her guard as she began to trust Freddie more and more.
I loved the world that Ms. Hardy created. I thought it would be a little hard to follow the different jargon specific to this world, but she made it fairly easy to keep track of. It was action packed, and I felt the pacing of the novel was spot on. I’ve never read a romance novel that takes place in space before, and it was such a fun experience. Her creativity shined brightly in the way common things were heightened to add a space agey sheen to them. My absolute favorite was the dating app, Squee, that matched people based on their ability to reach an orgasm. Very spicy indeed!
This book was full of heart and action packed! I hope Ms. Hardy turns this into a series.
TW: loss of a child off page
Sunastara Nex is a hospitality specialist aboard a pleasure cruise known for its debauchery. While at a at the annual Winter Revel she meets Joshua, a sexy Venusian looking for a night of fun. After an amazing night they part ways, but not for long because as it turns out Joshua is really Freddie, and he’s the newest member of her crew. Sunastara has strict policy: dating coworkers is a no-no, but can she resist Freddy’s seduction?
Freddie can’t forget the amazing night he spent with Phoebe. He’s pleasantly surprised to discover she’s the hospitality specialist on his new ship. She’s set on separating business from pleasure, so he comes up with a wild seduction strategy she can’t resist. It’s not all fun and games. When a real threat puts their ship at risk, they’ll have to decide whether it’s worth fighting for their future.
Freddie and Sunastara’s chemistry was to the nth degree. The spicy scenes were off the charts. I loved their banter and that they shared the same quirky sense of humor.
This book was a lot of fun and the serious topics are handled with grace. Sunny experienced a great loss that had a profound effect on her. She’s scared to get close to anyone again, so Freddie comes up with the idea of using their alter egos while he woos her. He’s gentle with her, and it was lovely to watch as he proves to her she’s worthy of love. I enjoyed watching Sunny slowly bring down her guard as she began to trust Freddie more and more.
I loved the world that Ms. Hardy created. I thought it would be a little hard to follow the different jargon specific to this world, but she made it fairly easy to keep track of. It was action packed, and I felt the pacing of the novel was spot on. I’ve never read a romance novel that takes place in space before, and it was such a fun experience. Her creativity shined brightly in the way common things were heightened to add a space agey sheen to them. My absolute favorite was the dating app, Squee, that matched people based on their ability to reach an orgasm. Very spicy indeed!
This book was full of heart and action packed! I hope Ms. Hardy turns this into a series.
November 26, 2024
I absolutely adored this space romance by Jess K Hardy! I have loved everything I've read of hers so far and this did not disappoint!
This book contains:
👽 Space-themed romance, how quirky, cool and interesting! The world was super believable and felt myself fully immersed from the start!
💖 Likeable MC! Sunny was confident, fiery and had some serious shit she was dealing with but she 100% felt like the badass BF everyone needs.
🔥 Hot love interest! Totally crushed on Freddie. He was hot and such a decent guy! It's so refreshing to have hot guys who are not even a little bit problematic in romance!!
🗺️ External plot keeping you on your toes! Loved all the suspense and supporting characters!
🌶️ Nice spice!
❤️ Seriously falling hard!!
💧 Deep issues presented with care and love
If you're looking for something a little bit different to add to your book pile and you love space and aliens, you can't go past this!!
This book contains:
👽 Space-themed romance, how quirky, cool and interesting! The world was super believable and felt myself fully immersed from the start!
💖 Likeable MC! Sunny was confident, fiery and had some serious shit she was dealing with but she 100% felt like the badass BF everyone needs.
🔥 Hot love interest! Totally crushed on Freddie. He was hot and such a decent guy! It's so refreshing to have hot guys who are not even a little bit problematic in romance!!
🗺️ External plot keeping you on your toes! Loved all the suspense and supporting characters!
🌶️ Nice spice!
❤️ Seriously falling hard!!
💧 Deep issues presented with care and love
If you're looking for something a little bit different to add to your book pile and you love space and aliens, you can't go past this!!
November 11, 2024
First, thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for letting me read and review this book!
I had such an enjoyable time reading this book! Sunny is such a fun yet complex character whose growth and character development are just *chef’s kiss*. Freddie has now set my standards too high. He’s so sweet and caring and devoted and overall just the perfect being. If he’s not like Freddie, then I don’t want him.
Hardy combined two of my favorite things and made it into a binge-worthy book: office romance and sci-fi! I was a little hesitant at first because how does one combine a contemporary romance troupe with space? But Jess K Hardy did it and did it well. I’m so glad that my curiosity lead me to such an amazing book!
I had such an enjoyable time reading this book! Sunny is such a fun yet complex character whose growth and character development are just *chef’s kiss*. Freddie has now set my standards too high. He’s so sweet and caring and devoted and overall just the perfect being. If he’s not like Freddie, then I don’t want him.
Hardy combined two of my favorite things and made it into a binge-worthy book: office romance and sci-fi! I was a little hesitant at first because how does one combine a contemporary romance troupe with space? But Jess K Hardy did it and did it well. I’m so glad that my curiosity lead me to such an amazing book!
January 28, 2025
Good!
I never thought I'd be reading a space cruise romance, but here we are. A bit of the jargon was confusing at first, but you pick it up quickly. The characters were very likable, if a bit predictable at times. The biggest downside for me was the insta-love. I also would have loved to have a few more viewpoints, but I enjoyed being in Sunny's head overall.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I never thought I'd be reading a space cruise romance, but here we are. A bit of the jargon was confusing at first, but you pick it up quickly. The characters were very likable, if a bit predictable at times. The biggest downside for me was the insta-love. I also would have loved to have a few more viewpoints, but I enjoyed being in Sunny's head overall.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 10, 2025
Jess K Hardy remains one of my very favorite writers. She’s taking us on a whole other journey with Sunastara! We now have our midlife MCs serving on the Love Boat in Space! The world building is gorgeous, little details for how space life works slipped into every scene building layer upon layer. Adore our MC couple. The thing that always puts a Jess K Hardy romance over the top is the depth given to the ensemble cast, where you feel like there could be spinoffs to follow any member of the cast. Highly recommend!
dnf
December 27, 2024The amount of times I cringed while reading this book and died a bit inside hurt me.
Thanks to the author for the free ARC, all opinions are my own.
Thanks to the author for the free ARC, all opinions are my own.
did-not-finish
January 23, 2025DNF at 3%. Just not grabbing my attention.
October 27, 2024
ARC review. Sunny’s working on a pleasure cruise drifting through space and definitely not looking for long-term romance at all, not even when she meets Freddie, who’s the greenest green flag to ever flutter in the Known Universe. I spent so much of this book wanting to scream at the main character not to let him get away, because he’s so adorable. This book is genuinely hilarious and has sooo many good things: a 40 year old FMC, men taking the pill (well done, Science, you got there in the end), the world’s most sophisticated dating app that gives badges for multiple orgasms, malfunctioning pleasure pods, and a reveal that will wrench your heart of your chest and smoosh it.
November 25, 2025
Jess K. Hardy, thank you for writing EXACTLY the kind of story I've been dying for. Sweet, wholesome sci-fi romance with a heavy workplace sitcom vibes. This is some of the best parts of Star Trek packaged into a modern, spicy little romance.
I read this and Elanie & the Empath out of order. Both absolutely fantastic and so, so, so heartwarming. Sunastara's story was a little slower to get going and, ultimately, the plot of the plot felt rushed because of it.
But don't get me wrong--4 stars is a glowing recommendation from me. And Elanie's story was 5 stars, no question.
I need a million more of this series, asap.
I read this and Elanie & the Empath out of order. Both absolutely fantastic and so, so, so heartwarming. Sunastara's story was a little slower to get going and, ultimately, the plot of the plot felt rushed because of it.
But don't get me wrong--4 stars is a glowing recommendation from me. And Elanie's story was 5 stars, no question.
I need a million more of this series, asap.
December 10, 2024
The way I didn't know I needed a space "Love Boat" (and for you young'uns, that was a very popular TV show in the '80s!), with super sexy, older protagonists. Hardy does such an amazing job of capturing the everyday and putting it in amazing settings. Sunny and Freddie are extraordinary, their chemistry is 🔥, and their stories are so riveting and emotional, I found myself at several points throughout the book, just gasping through the tears streaming down my face. I am a full-on Jess Hardy stan now; her prose just keeps getting better and better. 💖
November 25, 2024
REVIEW
cw: mentions of child loss, grief, loss, bereavement
Sunastara Nex is the hospitality specialist aboard The Ignisar, an infamously hedonistic interstellar pleasure cruiser. Months after an unforgettable night of passion using the made-up names 'Phoebe' and 'Joshua', Sunny finds herself still thinking about the handsome and funny Venusian man. So when 'Joshua', otherwise known as Freddie becomes the latest member of The Ignisar's crew, her rules of never mixing business with pleasure are tested. Freddie is as handsome and kind as Sunny remembered, and he has an idea. Maintain their professionalism at work as Freddie and Sunny, but behind closed doors, enjoy each other as their alter-egos. But a Universal threat might tear them apart.
This was a surprisingly tender story of love and healing, with a fun side plot of political intrigue. I loved the world-building in this story. There were so many fun and quirky space details, from the many different species with lots of interesting characters begging for their own stories, to the details of the pleasure cruiser. I also LOVED the attention to detail in so many of the inventions, particularly the contraception and the dating app, and I would 1000% be one of the cat-obsessed people living my best life on Vorp in my cat-shaped house.
Sunny was such a complex character, but I loved her journey. Her pain and loss felt tangible, yet authentic, and both were handled sensitively.
I absolutely ADORED Freddie. He was so gone for Sunny, but was also SO incredibly sweet, and respectful of her boundaries at work. My heart broke for him in chapter 11, but I loved the ingenuity of his proposal later on in the story. I absolutely ADORED how open he was with his feelings, and while tipsy Freddie was adorable, high Freddie was even more so! Still, chapter 25 broke my heart. The mutual pining was sublime. Their first night together was both hot and sweet, and I adored the bittersweet goodbye, as well as their mementoes. Their reunion was satisfying, and I adored how patient Freddie was with Sunny.
I LOVED the supporting characters in this story. Tig and her anxiety hood were so relatable, but her relationship with Reya was so bittersweet. My heart also broke for Chan. I truly hope he gets his own story as well as Tig. I loved Elanie, Sunny's sassy bionic AI assistant, and her ending made me want to hug her. Garran was so stinking cute, and I loved how Sunny dealt with him, but also the dating advice at and after the Fire Ball was ADORABLE, as were the Cyrano moments, and I adored how much he blushed. Meanwhile, I liked how understanding Raphe was after the same event. He gave great advice and was so sweet to Sunny. The senator and her wife were intriguing, but I ADORED Sai, their son. I loved his intelligence and bravery, but it was his connection with Sunny that moved me the most. It felt cathartic, even just as an observer.
Conversely, the similarities between Brock Karlovich and a certain RL megalomaniac made me chuckle. The incident added an intriguing twist to the overall storyline, and I loved how Sai and Sunny connected even more. Meanwhile, Freddie's reaction broke my heart but then put it back together and made me swoon. As mentioned, the theme of grief was so beautifully explored throughout the story. Chapter 28 utterly wrecked me, yet was also so poignantly beautiful, and I loved how Sunny and Freddie finally revealed themselves fully to each other. As for the digcard? *Swoons*
I look forward to reading more about The Ignisar's wonderful cast of characters.
A fun but also compassionate story of second chances and overcoming grief.
Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
*Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Sunastara and The Venusian is published on 10th December in the UK*
Favourite Quotes:
A kilometer long, encased in white titanium and embellished with diamonds and rubies mined from one of LunaCorp’s mega-asteroids, she was a shimmering queen in the blackness of space. A drag queen, but still.
Tucking a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, he said, “I can’t believe I have to leave tomorrow. I’ve just finally found you.”
I wanted nothing more than to run to him, throw myself into his arms, and kiss him until we both nearly died from it. But he had no idea who he was talking to. He knew Phoebe, not Sunny. Phoebe was put together. Phoebe was carefree. Phoebe was light and fun and desirable. Sunny was none of those things. Sunny was a disaster.
Tig trembled. “They’ll eat me first, won’t they? I’m, like, bite sized.”
“Really, Chan? Why do you want Tig to get eaten, Chan?”
“I know I have no claim on this woman whatsoever, and she is free to be with whoever she chooses. But the fact that she isn’t choosing to be with me tonight might actually be killing me. So to answer your question, Sunastara, no. No, I am very much not all right.”
“I thought I’d be able to stand by and wait until I charmed you so thoroughly you’d have no other choice but to give me a chance. But if tonight taught me anything, it’s that there is not enough patience in the entire galaxy for me to withstand the idea of you being with someone else. Unless, perhaps, that someone else is me. Or another version of me, anyway.”
"I wanted you to know that you’re not alone. And that you are not the only broken person here.”
"...When it rains, and only when it rains, the people of Neptune are free to go outside, sit underneath the downpour, and weep over those they’ve lost. They call it the Sorrowing.”
“I’ve got you,” he said. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. It’s all right. It’s all right.”
Wherever you are, I want to thank you for mending a fracture in my heart I’d feared was beyond repair. And I want you to know that when I look up into whatever night sky might spread out above me, I will never find anything as spectacular as you.
"The universe is vast and open, and your place in it is not defined by where you were born, what lies you’ve been told about what is right or wrong, or who you choose to love.”
He’d never made me weak. He made me feel. He made me whole. He made me strong.
cw: mentions of child loss, grief, loss, bereavement
Sunastara Nex is the hospitality specialist aboard The Ignisar, an infamously hedonistic interstellar pleasure cruiser. Months after an unforgettable night of passion using the made-up names 'Phoebe' and 'Joshua', Sunny finds herself still thinking about the handsome and funny Venusian man. So when 'Joshua', otherwise known as Freddie becomes the latest member of The Ignisar's crew, her rules of never mixing business with pleasure are tested. Freddie is as handsome and kind as Sunny remembered, and he has an idea. Maintain their professionalism at work as Freddie and Sunny, but behind closed doors, enjoy each other as their alter-egos. But a Universal threat might tear them apart.
This was a surprisingly tender story of love and healing, with a fun side plot of political intrigue. I loved the world-building in this story. There were so many fun and quirky space details, from the many different species with lots of interesting characters begging for their own stories, to the details of the pleasure cruiser. I also LOVED the attention to detail in so many of the inventions, particularly the contraception and the dating app, and I would 1000% be one of the cat-obsessed people living my best life on Vorp in my cat-shaped house.
Sunny was such a complex character, but I loved her journey. Her pain and loss felt tangible, yet authentic, and both were handled sensitively.
I absolutely ADORED Freddie. He was so gone for Sunny, but was also SO incredibly sweet, and respectful of her boundaries at work. My heart broke for him in chapter 11, but I loved the ingenuity of his proposal later on in the story. I absolutely ADORED how open he was with his feelings, and while tipsy Freddie was adorable, high Freddie was even more so! Still, chapter 25 broke my heart. The mutual pining was sublime. Their first night together was both hot and sweet, and I adored the bittersweet goodbye, as well as their mementoes. Their reunion was satisfying, and I adored how patient Freddie was with Sunny.
I LOVED the supporting characters in this story. Tig and her anxiety hood were so relatable, but her relationship with Reya was so bittersweet. My heart also broke for Chan. I truly hope he gets his own story as well as Tig. I loved Elanie, Sunny's sassy bionic AI assistant, and her ending made me want to hug her. Garran was so stinking cute, and I loved how Sunny dealt with him, but also the dating advice at and after the Fire Ball was ADORABLE, as were the Cyrano moments, and I adored how much he blushed. Meanwhile, I liked how understanding Raphe was after the same event. He gave great advice and was so sweet to Sunny. The senator and her wife were intriguing, but I ADORED Sai, their son. I loved his intelligence and bravery, but it was his connection with Sunny that moved me the most. It felt cathartic, even just as an observer.
Conversely, the similarities between Brock Karlovich and a certain RL megalomaniac made me chuckle. The incident added an intriguing twist to the overall storyline, and I loved how Sai and Sunny connected even more. Meanwhile, Freddie's reaction broke my heart but then put it back together and made me swoon. As mentioned, the theme of grief was so beautifully explored throughout the story. Chapter 28 utterly wrecked me, yet was also so poignantly beautiful, and I loved how Sunny and Freddie finally revealed themselves fully to each other. As for the digcard? *Swoons*
I look forward to reading more about The Ignisar's wonderful cast of characters.
A fun but also compassionate story of second chances and overcoming grief.
Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
*Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Sunastara and The Venusian is published on 10th December in the UK*
Favourite Quotes:
A kilometer long, encased in white titanium and embellished with diamonds and rubies mined from one of LunaCorp’s mega-asteroids, she was a shimmering queen in the blackness of space. A drag queen, but still.
Tucking a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, he said, “I can’t believe I have to leave tomorrow. I’ve just finally found you.”
I wanted nothing more than to run to him, throw myself into his arms, and kiss him until we both nearly died from it. But he had no idea who he was talking to. He knew Phoebe, not Sunny. Phoebe was put together. Phoebe was carefree. Phoebe was light and fun and desirable. Sunny was none of those things. Sunny was a disaster.
Tig trembled. “They’ll eat me first, won’t they? I’m, like, bite sized.”
“Really, Chan? Why do you want Tig to get eaten, Chan?”
“I know I have no claim on this woman whatsoever, and she is free to be with whoever she chooses. But the fact that she isn’t choosing to be with me tonight might actually be killing me. So to answer your question, Sunastara, no. No, I am very much not all right.”
“I thought I’d be able to stand by and wait until I charmed you so thoroughly you’d have no other choice but to give me a chance. But if tonight taught me anything, it’s that there is not enough patience in the entire galaxy for me to withstand the idea of you being with someone else. Unless, perhaps, that someone else is me. Or another version of me, anyway.”
"I wanted you to know that you’re not alone. And that you are not the only broken person here.”
"...When it rains, and only when it rains, the people of Neptune are free to go outside, sit underneath the downpour, and weep over those they’ve lost. They call it the Sorrowing.”
“I’ve got you,” he said. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. It’s all right. It’s all right.”
Wherever you are, I want to thank you for mending a fracture in my heart I’d feared was beyond repair. And I want you to know that when I look up into whatever night sky might spread out above me, I will never find anything as spectacular as you.
"The universe is vast and open, and your place in it is not defined by where you were born, what lies you’ve been told about what is right or wrong, or who you choose to love.”
He’d never made me weak. He made me feel. He made me whole. He made me strong.
December 12, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I read this book after completing a space opera retelling of Ceasar and Cleopatra. I thought this would be a fluffy, trope-heavy romance that happened to be in space. And for about 1/3 of the book, it was. But it started to unravel. It felt 500 pages long, and not in a good way.
The book stars Sunastara (I kept reading Sunastra) or "Sunny" working on a pleasure cruise ship in space. She has a fabulous one-night stand while hiding a deep, dark tragic past. The author is really bad about drawing out this tragic secret and the details come out at weird intervals and in odd amounts. Also, brings down the tone of an otherwise light and spicy romance. A few good spicy scenes, and varying amounts of description.
Anyway, months after the one-night stand Sunny's cruise ship gets a new team member: her hot fling, Freddie the Venusian! Aka: he's from Venus. They're both humans, no cross-species fun here. Alien races and planets and organizations are not explained well at all, FYI.
Sunny tries to keep him at arms-length, they're massively attracted to each other, the usual. But at the same time, there is a galactic senator's family on board. Also, some violent pirate (like Klingons, but basically human) aliens are soon to visit and everyone hates the idea.
This is where the plot tries to do too much and loses the emotional balance. There's intrigue, adventure, and motherly emotional turmoil. None of that is in the first half of the book. The story would've been plenty entertaining with just the space romance of balancing an interspecies team and crazy passengers. A rom-com, not an adventure story.
As a liberal, I was still annoyed at the clunky inclusive language. Star Trek and Firefly manage to be inclusive and still entertaining. Characters say "what in the worlds" and "you're a great being" instead of "what in the world" and "you're a great guy". LGBTQ couples, duh, but a lot else seemed shoehorned in.
Finally, the tech. Non-sci-fi authors should keep that vague and not do too much. Digcards, comms, hover chairs, and sonic cannons were not explained much until 3/4 through the book.
I read this book after completing a space opera retelling of Ceasar and Cleopatra. I thought this would be a fluffy, trope-heavy romance that happened to be in space. And for about 1/3 of the book, it was. But it started to unravel. It felt 500 pages long, and not in a good way.
The book stars Sunastara (I kept reading Sunastra) or "Sunny" working on a pleasure cruise ship in space. She has a fabulous one-night stand while hiding a deep, dark tragic past. The author is really bad about drawing out this tragic secret and the details come out at weird intervals and in odd amounts. Also, brings down the tone of an otherwise light and spicy romance. A few good spicy scenes, and varying amounts of description.
Anyway, months after the one-night stand Sunny's cruise ship gets a new team member: her hot fling, Freddie the Venusian! Aka: he's from Venus. They're both humans, no cross-species fun here. Alien races and planets and organizations are not explained well at all, FYI.
Sunny tries to keep him at arms-length, they're massively attracted to each other, the usual. But at the same time, there is a galactic senator's family on board. Also, some violent pirate (like Klingons, but basically human) aliens are soon to visit and everyone hates the idea.
This is where the plot tries to do too much and loses the emotional balance. There's intrigue, adventure, and motherly emotional turmoil. None of that is in the first half of the book. The story would've been plenty entertaining with just the space romance of balancing an interspecies team and crazy passengers. A rom-com, not an adventure story.
As a liberal, I was still annoyed at the clunky inclusive language. Star Trek and Firefly manage to be inclusive and still entertaining. Characters say "what in the worlds" and "you're a great being" instead of "what in the world" and "you're a great guy". LGBTQ couples, duh, but a lot else seemed shoehorned in.
Finally, the tech. Non-sci-fi authors should keep that vague and not do too much. Digcards, comms, hover chairs, and sonic cannons were not explained much until 3/4 through the book.
December 10, 2024
I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
4.75 stars rounded up to 5 stars.
The most relevant description I have for this story is “The Love Boat meets Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets”
In a time far into the future, lives Sunastara, aka Sunny, aka Phoebe, Nex; a hospitality director on an intergalactic cruise ship that carries passengers from different parts of the Known Universe. She is 40, traumatized but in denial about her own issues and thinks that burying them under a mountain of one night stands is gonna make them not bother her.
Enters Freddie, aka Joshua, the one night stand she has a fantastic connection with and is unable to forget even months after their encounter. The relationship between Sunny and Freddie starts off like a “fated mates” situation; they hook up in the beginning after a great date and have a mind blowing one night stand, both expecting to never see each other again.
Months later, surprise, surprise, Freddie joins Sunny’s workplace and now they have to maintain a professional relationship while Sunny manages her attraction towards him and start confronting her own issues and past trauma.
Freddie is a green flag guy; not only because he is nice, kind and respectful of her wishes, but also refuses to allow her to bury her feelings in bouts of meaningless sex. Watching their relationship blossom into something solid was beautiful to watch. I can’t even tell if I like Phoebe and Joshua more than Sunny and Freddie or not lol.
The side characters are fantastic.
Sunny had internal monologues a plenty, and that can get boring or repetitive but Jess regularly gives something happening in the background to keep the reader entertained.
This is the second book I read for Jess K. Hardy after Come As You Are; and she delivers every time! I highly recommend it.
4.75 stars rounded up to 5 stars.
The most relevant description I have for this story is “The Love Boat meets Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets”
In a time far into the future, lives Sunastara, aka Sunny, aka Phoebe, Nex; a hospitality director on an intergalactic cruise ship that carries passengers from different parts of the Known Universe. She is 40, traumatized but in denial about her own issues and thinks that burying them under a mountain of one night stands is gonna make them not bother her.
Enters Freddie, aka Joshua, the one night stand she has a fantastic connection with and is unable to forget even months after their encounter. The relationship between Sunny and Freddie starts off like a “fated mates” situation; they hook up in the beginning after a great date and have a mind blowing one night stand, both expecting to never see each other again.
Months later, surprise, surprise, Freddie joins Sunny’s workplace and now they have to maintain a professional relationship while Sunny manages her attraction towards him and start confronting her own issues and past trauma.
Freddie is a green flag guy; not only because he is nice, kind and respectful of her wishes, but also refuses to allow her to bury her feelings in bouts of meaningless sex. Watching their relationship blossom into something solid was beautiful to watch. I can’t even tell if I like Phoebe and Joshua more than Sunny and Freddie or not lol.
The side characters are fantastic.
Sunny had internal monologues a plenty, and that can get boring or repetitive but Jess regularly gives something happening in the background to keep the reader entertained.
This is the second book I read for Jess K. Hardy after Come As You Are; and she delivers every time! I highly recommend it.
September 16, 2024
Sunastara & the Venusian by Jess K Hardy was a fun read and definitely not what I was expecting.
I'll admit that I expected this to have tons of crazy aliens and weird terms throughout and it wasn't like that at all - sure there were other species from other planets and different things, but it was written matter of factly and as such an ordinary thing and it all blended together so well that it just WAS and it was normal and perfect.
Sunny reluctantly has to go to a conference and while there decides to partake in a little space age version of Tinder and matches with the perfect person for at that exact moment. She meets 'Joshua' and she is 'Phoebe' and sparks fly between them immediately and it's not just the usual lust - after an amazing night together, Sunny can't quit thinking about him and sleeps with his tie under her pillow so that she has a piece of him with her.
She's still thinking about him when she goes to a meeting on her ship to meet the newest crew member, Freddie. Freddie turns out to be "Joshua" and oh boy, those sparks are still there, but she doesn't think that they should act upon them.
Thus entails a friendship that they both want to be more, intrigue with guests on the ship, and a possible volatile situation. Will they overcome all of this to actually find love as Sunastara and Freddie? I'm not spoiling this fun adventure.
Ms. Hardy's book had me not wanting to put this book down at all. I read it in one sitting and was left wanting more. Fun characters, interesting intergalactic species, and a ship that I want to go on? Check, check, and check!
This book was given to me as an ARC for my honest opinion by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I'll admit that I expected this to have tons of crazy aliens and weird terms throughout and it wasn't like that at all - sure there were other species from other planets and different things, but it was written matter of factly and as such an ordinary thing and it all blended together so well that it just WAS and it was normal and perfect.
Sunny reluctantly has to go to a conference and while there decides to partake in a little space age version of Tinder and matches with the perfect person for at that exact moment. She meets 'Joshua' and she is 'Phoebe' and sparks fly between them immediately and it's not just the usual lust - after an amazing night together, Sunny can't quit thinking about him and sleeps with his tie under her pillow so that she has a piece of him with her.
She's still thinking about him when she goes to a meeting on her ship to meet the newest crew member, Freddie. Freddie turns out to be "Joshua" and oh boy, those sparks are still there, but she doesn't think that they should act upon them.
Thus entails a friendship that they both want to be more, intrigue with guests on the ship, and a possible volatile situation. Will they overcome all of this to actually find love as Sunastara and Freddie? I'm not spoiling this fun adventure.
Ms. Hardy's book had me not wanting to put this book down at all. I read it in one sitting and was left wanting more. Fun characters, interesting intergalactic species, and a ship that I want to go on? Check, check, and check!
This book was given to me as an ARC for my honest opinion by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
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