Betrothed to the Alien Mercenary

Monster Mercenary Mates #3

by Robin O'Connor

Trust no one. Hide who I am. Complete the mission. Easy... until I meet him.

Evie
When a dying Xurtal princess makes me promise to save her planet, I have no choice but to take her place. Me, a human girl, pretending to be an alien royal. To survive the assassination attempts, I need a bodyguard. Enter cocky, infuriating, and scorchingly hot.

He has to pretend to be my mate to protect me. A fake fiancé for a fake princess. What could possibly go wrong?

But the way he looks at me feels anything but fake. And if he discovers my secrets, I’ll lose more than my mission—I might lose him too.

Aramon

Playing bodyguard to a spoiled princess? Not my dream job. But the second I meet Evadne, everything changes. She’s my perfect match, even if this is all supposed to be an act.

I’ve sworn to protect her, and it’s more than duty now. It’s instinct. The deeper we go into this dangerous game, the harder it is to let her go.

She may not trust me, but I’ll prove one this princess is mine, no matter what galaxy-shattering secrets she’s hiding.

This is book three in the Monster Mercenary Mates series. This sci-fi monster romance features one irreverent, cocky alien pilot, a fake princess with a huge secret, an even faker betrothal, and a steamy HEA.

Genres: Aliens, Romance, Space, Science Fiction, Monster Romance

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2024

About the author

Robin O’Connor is an author who loves to write about strong, alien heroes and quirky heroines. She lives with her husband and son along with a couple hundred books (hers, definitely hers) and probably just as many computer parts (her husband’s). Her house therefore probably resembles something like a mad-scientist’s lab on any given day.

She’s always working on at least a half dozen projects at the same time but is never without time to answer questions, write up funny extras or hang out in her group online to speak with her readers.

Join her mailing list ➜ https://robinoconnor.ink/

Join her on Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/RobinOConnor...

Visit her website ➜ https://robinoconnor.ink/

Follow her on Instagram➜ instagram.com/robinoconnorofficial/

Reviews

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie (h), a human who has spent her life as the body double for Princess Evadne of the Xurtal Kingdom, is captured alongside Evadne and her entourage. Facing death, Evadne makes Evie promise to continue impersonating her in order to secure a critical alliance. This promise propels Evie into a whirlwind of danger, deception, and discovery. "Evadne" is rescued by the Varakartoom, a mercenary ship where she meets Aramon (H), a brash and fiercely protective Asrai pilot. Aramon lives for chaos and combat, but nothing could prepare him for her. Drawn to her fiery spirit and haunted by a bond he doesn’t fully understand, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her, even when the truth of her identity threatens everything. As assassins close in and secrets unravel, the line between duty and desire blurs, and both Aramon and Evie must decide how far they’re willing to go for love. Hot and steamy alien-human, fated mates romance, exploring love, connection, political intrigue, betrayals, vulnerability, trust, identity, and belonging.

[Between pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a ride! There were a few small things that bugged me, but honestly, the story was so gripping that I didn’t even care.

First off, using phrases like "bro" or "watch it, buddy" felt way too human for the alien vibe. It pulled me out of the immersion for a second.

But let’s talk about Aramon discovering Evie’s secret—oh my gosh, I love how he protected that secret! The way Aramon is so loyal to Evie, always having her back, just melted me. And the teamwork between Solear and Aramon? Their combined strength to protect and fight was everything. It added such a kick to the story

Evie herself is a total badass. I absolutely adore strong female characters who can protect themselves and others but are still open to being cared for and protected in return. She strikes that perfect balance.

And Pelarios? Knew it was him! Bastard!!
As for the Varakartoom crew—you rock!

That epilogue, though! You can’t leave me hanging like that! It’s not fair.
Also, shoutout to the glossary of characters and alien races at the end. I LOVE when authors include those—it’s a lifesaver for readers like me who sometimes struggle to remember all the details.

So yeah, I love it when a book can pull me out of a book slump.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was satisfying!
The plot was really interesting, and the spice was well written (3/5🌶️).

The chemistry between the two main characters didn’t feel forced, and you fell in love with Aramon (our MMC) as soon as you met him!

I really enjoyed how easy this world was for me to jump into since this is the 3rd book in a stand alone series and I haven’t read the first two (which I’m going to definitely read). I loved this because you really got to meet the characters and get a good feel for who they are, what their struggles and their goals/dreams are.

This is a personal opinion but I think Aramon’s twin brother Solear is probably going to outshine Aramon’s story, and I cannot wait for her to write it! He was a character I actually fell in love with as soon as he was introduced, and he has my heart.


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

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart stopping, action packed, thrilling book! Wow I couldn't get enough of this book, the bond between Evie and Aramon is one of the sweetest! I also love Aramon's growth in this book as a character. I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book but the ending of the epilogue almost gave me a heart attack. I need a fourth book and I'm intrigued to see who it will be about. I'm loving all of Robins books that I've read so far and I can't wait to read more. This is such a good book series.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Am Alien Obsessed!

Betrothed to the Alien Mercenary is book 3 in the Monster Mercenary Mates series and is yet another fun book full of action, adventure, and danger and filled with tons of spice! There is a fated mates, fake fiancé, intergalactic espionage theme and we finally get to know more about the crazy scary twins! Evie is one strong and impressive heroine and she is probably the only one to tame Aramon. I can’t wait for his twin, Solear, to have his own story! Robin is a master at the tease of a next book! I can’t wait!

It is easy to fall in love with these lovable characters, the creative world building and clever writing in Robin O’Connor’s books and I although you can certainly read any of these books as a standalone I would suggest not only reading this series in order but also some of her other series’ as well.

There are so many books to choose from in the Alien Romance Genre and if you love a fantastic binge read and getting immersed in a fascinating and adventurous universe then this is my recommendation for a reading order for Robin’s books and her different series so you do not miss a thing!

All these books and series revolve in the same world and characters often make guest appearances in each other’s books, which I love! So…

Start with a prequel novella called Gladiator’s Sanctuary which I got for free from Robin’s website.

Then move on to the Gladiators of the Vagabond series. Start from book 1 and read in order.

There are 2 holiday themed novellas I highly recommend that are a fantastic addition to the Gladiators of the Vagabond series! There’s An Alien Down My Chimney and There’s An Elf In My Cockpit.

Taken by the Gargoyle King is also a fantastic additional novella to the Gladiators of the Vagabond series and the hero and heroine make an appearance in Betrothed by the Alien Mercenary!

Next, move to The Naga Hunter’s Lost Mate which is a prequel to the imaginative Serpents of Serant series. I got my copy for free from Robin’s website.

Then, move on to the Serpents of Serant series and read in order. These Nagas were unforgettable characters that we meet in the Feral Tamed book (The Gladiator’s book 4)!

Next you should read Protected by the Alien Mercenary; this is part of the My Monster, My Protector series but also seems to be a prequel to Robin’s Monster Mercenary Mates series.

Now, you should be able to move on to the Monster Mercenary Mates series and you will not have missed a thing! I would definitely read these in order as well; they are too good to miss!

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, especially when it's not your crown to wear. 

Evelyn Mordew, AKA Evie, was a small child when she was taken from Earth. The Xurtal military had rescued her and taken her to their planet when she was only seven. She only has a few memories of her life on Earth. On Xurtal, because of the similarity between her name and looks, she became a body double for Princess Evadne. Since she was eight, she had been trained alongside the Princess, who had become her friend. Now a crime lord has captured their stealth ship. No one knows where they are because they were on a secret mission. The captors even knew which one of them was the real princess. She was branded on her face to make her ID easy to establish. 

Princess Evadne knows she will be killed, but she also knows that Evie has a chance to survive. If so, she wants Evie to assume her identity and sign the negotiated peace treaty. Evie finally agrees, knowing full well that she is despised by all, especially Evadne's sole surviving guard, Theronix. Now he must guard her. 

Aramon is a pilot for the mercenary, Captain Asmoded. He is an Asrai and has a twin brother, Solear. They have an unbreakable bond, and since Solear rarely, if ever, speaks, they communicate telepathically. Even then it's more images than words from Solear. 

One look at Princess Evadne, and Aramon is in lust. At this time he's unaware that the Princess isn't the real deal. It doesn't take him long to notice clues that something is "off" with her. But it makes no difference to him. He's found someone who loves him and accepts Solear and the bond the twins share. 

Evie doesn't remember ever being loved before. The trauma of her abduction from Earth left her with only glimpses of her life there. She also hasn't known friendship and certainly not love. Princess Evadne was her friend, but yet she always knew she'd be sacrificed first. Aramon has only known the love of his brother. He also knows that finding a mate could cause Solear to spiral out of control and even perhaps become suicidal. That would be something that would crush Aramon. But the mating bond is stronger than he ever thought could be possible. Surely this means all will be well, doesn't it? 

I received an ARC of this book from the author via Booksprout. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Tima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie, the female human lead, was identified as almost identical in looks to an alien princess after she was abducted as a child and selected to be the princess’ body double. Now an adult, she continues to be her body double until they are incarcerated by a sentient-consuming alien and the princess, along with all but one of her entourage, is eaten. Rescued, Evie looks to fulfil her promise to the princess to negotiate an alliance to secure the safety of the princess’ planet.

Aramon, one half of a pair of psychically connected alien (Asrai) twins and the male lead, is also the mentally stable half. He’s still impulsive, energetic, fidgety, and prone to extreme reactions. However, he knows he’s seen his mate on first contact with Evie.

When Evie requires a bodyguard, he’s very happy to be volunteered as her fiancé because that’s the only way he can accompany her everywhere. Evie is sure he only wants the princess persona she presents but Aramon knows she’s his mate, even if he’d prefer she weren’t a princess. But travel is difficult, negotiations are challenging, and there’s still an assassin looking to take out the “princess”…

This story is dual POV, well written, and a fast-paced, action filled, sweet and steamy, hidden identity, sci fi romance. I adored the depth of connection between the lead characters as well as between Aramon and his twin. I loved that Aramon was confident of his feelings and willingness to facilitate whatever Evie needed. I empathised with Evie’s care for the planet she’d grown up on. I enjoyed seeing her become authentic in her engagements with others, with Aramon’s encouragement that it was who she should be. I enjoyed the steamy intimate scenes. I adored the playful banter. I enjoyed the supportive, integrated secondary characters, especially Aramon’s twin, and I desperately want his story. I enjoyed seeing the character development for previous lead characters. I’m really enjoying where the author is taking this world.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Monster Mercenary series, and I would recommend that you read books one and two, Caught by and Stolen by, before you read this one. You'll get a better picture of this group of males and their human partners as they find them.

Aramon knew the green girl was his, and he would go to great lengths to get her. But when Evie is literally thrown into his clutches, Aramon jumps at the chance. Evie, though, is hiding a big secret. It's clear Aramon likes Evie in this form, but what will his reaction be to her true form? And who wants her dead??

I'm really enjoying these books, and while I did enjoy this one, it did take a little while to get going, I thought and I really was a bit too close to dumping it, to be honest. Not sure what changed or when, but it took off and I thoroughly enjoyed it in the end!

I loved Aramon, and his take me as I am attitude. He is who he is and he makes no apologies for that and I think Evie loved that from him right from the start. I LOVED his reaction to seeing Evie with her true hair colour! Smexy times a plenty!

Evie has been treated badly by her then rescuers, and it takes Aramon to make her see that. I wasn't quite sure where the threat came from, until it was revealed, so well played there!

I loved the interaction between Aramon and his twin, Soleur. I felt for him at points, due to his history and his almost fearl state, but I think the bond between Aramon and Evie will be good for Soleur, and I hope he gets a story soon!

Book four is laid out, quick literally, with a big bang!

I am thoroughly enjoying this series by O'Connor. I read a couple of others but they haven't grabbed me as much as these! I want all the merceneries to get their human!

4 very good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

[Lynn_G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Human Evie had been trained since the age of eight to be a body double for the Xurtal princess Evadne, even having her hair dyed green, deep red colored contacts, and a cloaking device that turned her skin Xurtal green. After surviving several assa$$inaction attempts, she and the princess’s remaining guard are the sole survivors of a horrible detainment and tortured before being devoured by their terrible captor. Just as they’re certain they’re next on the chopping block, a small faction of various alien species comes to their aid. One particular alien with a white skeletal visage on a massive ebony body catches her eye and she is instantly drawn to him.

Warrior Aramon and his twin brother have long been piloting vessels for his team of otherworldly misfits who sometimes engage in morally grey transactions. When the crew stumble upon an imprisoned Xurtal princess and her guard, Aramon is stunned to realize he’s found his mate. When her father the king suggests he protect her by accompanying her to a summit of negotiations for her planet’s crucial weapons material, he does so under the false pretense of being her fiance. Little does the king realize how close to the bone that is.

Further attempts on Evie’s life are thwarted, as she and Aramon come to terms with their genuine feelings for each other.

Can Aramon keep Evie safe? Will Evie be forced to impersonate the princess for the rest of her life?

This was another very satisfying, sexy, action-packed interstellar romance from the brilliant Robin O’Connor.

I was very fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and booksprout, and I’m pleased to share my honest thoughts.

[Moonburst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human Evie has been raised to act as a body double of the Xurtal princess Evadne. Prior to her death, Evadne makes Evie promise to continue Evadne's mission to save her planet. Unfortunately, this requires Evie to continue to live as someone else until a protective treaty can be signed. To survive the many assassination attempts, Evie gets loose cannon Aramon to pose as her fiance. He's willing to do whatever it takes to protect her while convincing her to accept the mating bond he feels for her.

Evie has conflicted feelings about her mission. While she appreciates and cares for the Xurtals, the Xurtal Kingdom clearly has never cared for her. She sees herself as well trained and useful servant, and she is ready to pursue her own life. Despite the opportunity to run away from the death threats, she still decides to follow through on her promise, which is quite admirable.

Aramon is an Asrai, and he has a telepathic abilities and a very close bond with his twin brother, Solear. Aramon is cocky, chaotic, and capable. He's knows what he wants and he's not going to be constrained by the rules to get it. He is willing to play the part to stay close to his mate, within reason. Overall he adds an interesting element to the story, but I found him to be a bit much on occasion.

Betrothed to the Alien Mercenary is the third book in the Monster Mercenary Mates series with a fake princess and a not-so-fake engagement. Evie's admirable steadfastness and Aramon's chaotic protection make for a very enjoyable read.

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

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betrothed to the Alien Mercenary by Robin O’Connor
Monster Mercenary Mates #3

Body doubles are used from time to time in movies ~ who knew an alien princess needed one and that the body double would be the heroine instead of the princess?

What I liked:
* Evie: human, body double of princess Evadne, in service since childhood, strong, resilient, survivor, made a promise she feels compelled to keep, felt the mate bond as soon as she met Aramon
* Aramon: alien, Asrai, twin with twin-bond, pilot, hyperactive, emotion driven, mental link and more with his twin, strong, protective, fierce, lethal, knew Evie was his mate upon first sight
* The strong bond between the main characters and how their relationship grows
* Solear: Aramon’s twin, nearly silent, communicates telepathically with his brother, traumatic experience when young, would like to see him in a book of his own
* Getting to meet catch up with the crew of the Varakartoom and find out how they and the two human mates on board are doing
* Knowing that there are plenty of crew still available to find their mates so there will be more books to look forward to.
* The plot, pacing, setting, writing, prologue that set the story up, the epilogue that sets up the next story
* Finding out who is behind the assassination attempts and how that issue is resolved
* The glossary and cast of characters
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Having to wait for the next book in the series

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author and Bookfunnel for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Sheree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to the Varakartoom and our favourite mercenaries. Book 3 in the series involves the rescued heroine Evie, a human body double for the murdered Xurtal princess, and Aramon one of the Asrai twin pilots. Both instantly feel an intense attraction to the other with Aramon recognising his mate in the brave female. What follows is an intense mission to secure an alliance to protect the innocents on Xurtal. There is danger and deception surrounding Evie and the protective Aramon is determined to keep her safe. Together the two navigate their overwhelming and intense feelings for each other whilst avoiding the many assassination attempts.

I enjoyed watching Aramon falling for the fiery, brave Evie. He is all in from the beginning and it was amazing to watch one of the chaos twins falls so hard and fast. Discovering more of the connection between the Asrai twins was fascinating, especially Evie’s understanding and acceptance of their bond and Solear’s struggle to accept the change of his twin finding his mate.

The author has amazing world building skill and writes wonderful characters that you want to read more about. She has fast become an immediate buy for me (yes, even the ones I ARC read). Her books are all in the same universe, you do not need to read them all, but I recommend reading all her series as they are enjoyable fun reads. It is also fun to see the occasional crossover from previous characters. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gleeful Goblin Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gleeful Goblin Review: So our lovebirds first "meet" via an on screen view and oh Mylanta when I read how our MMC described his feelings I had to fan myself just a little: "I wanted to conquer that female, own her, possess her. More than anything, I wanted her to own me right back; for her to claim me and let everyone know that I was worthy. That was a feeling I had never experienced before, and it shook me to my core."

Our FMC Evie's backstory and current predicament when she meets MMC Aramon is layered and filled with intrigue from the very start. She's a human woman who has been altered in order to body double an alien princess and has to maintain that ruse at all costs. Not exactly a solid foundation to build a relationship on when the other person can't know *any* of who you really are. Add in having both partners have to pretend to be together already and of course it's a recipe for trouble.

Aramon reminded me of a Han Solo type pilot with untreated ADHD but weirdly in a good way. He made a really excellent foil for Evie who's had to be a proper alien princess for far too long and who desperately wants to be Seen. I loved the high octane action, political intrigue, and zesty personal time between these two. 5/5 Stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shelley G · Rating 5 out of 5]

thoroughly enjoyed this book. evie is a human who has been made to play the body double of an alien princess as part of her security. Aramon is an alien asrai twin mercenary on the crew of the varakartoom. after a tragedy evie is forced to pretend to be Evadne the princess for an important treaty negotiation and aramon whom she has an immediate reaction to upon meeting is chosen to accompany her as her fake fiance. someone wants the princess dead and will stop at nothing to ensure she doesn't reach those negotiations so aramon is constantly having to save her life from repeated attempts to assassinate her. many many things happen during this story so u never know what will happen next or how they will handle each situation as it arises not to mention the blossoming feelings between them when all focus needs to be on the treaty meeting. great attention to detail and world building. richly detailed characters, emotions, happenings and places along with real world every day problems, fears, and insecurities. a thrilling story that will definitely hold your interest. wonderful series. I received an arc copy from book sirens and this is my honest voluntary review.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie is captured by the crimelord Batok along with the Xurtal princess and her guards. Evadne, the princess makes a request to Evie to take her place if she dies. Evie and Theronix were the only survivors, they were saved by the crew of Varakartoom. Evie had agreed to be Evadne and continue with the talks for a treaty between the Ovters and the Xurtal people. Evie requests a mercenary who can fly a ship and fight, she is given Aramon, the Asrai, the twist is that she is his mate. Now the plot thickens and the danger is still waiting for her down on the Ovters planet. I really enjoyed this book and did not figure out the bad guy until it was too late. The ending chapters kept me turning pages to see what was going to happen next. Mainly I wanted to know how Solear was going to react to Aramon’s mate. I would recommend this book and series. I am now waiting to see if the author finds a mate for the Sineater, now that would be a fun story to see him fall for a mate.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie is a young human woman who has been a double for a princess of Xurtal. She and the princess and her guards have been taken prisoner. They are on their last breathe when the Princess tells her to continue the mission no matter what happened to her. After the death of the princess she and the one guard left are rescued.
Aramon is a pirate and is part of the fleet who rescued the Princess. Once he sets eyes on the Princess he recognizes her as his mate. To his delight he is chosen to portray the fiance of the Princess. He is very motivated. He gets to be with his mate and protect her.
To his worry it's discovered that she is still a target. Someone is trying to kill her and stall the talks that will bring much needed protection for her planet.
Will she come to realize what he is to her? Will she show who she really is? How will it affect him??
A beautiful story of love and stubbornness.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nora Ellen (Nbbookery) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After rescuing an adultnapped alien princess, Aramon realizes she's his fated mate. Evie, a human who has been trained to be the body double of a now-deceased princess, feels the pressure from the kingdom to fulfill the Princess's mission and protect her people. Aramon, now acting as Evie's bodyguard, accompanies her in the diplomatic mission. But the real Princess's enemies are still at large, and with Evie pretending so well, she finds herself the target of a new threat. Aramon isn't about to let her face an enemy alone and the two team up for survival.

Secret royal body double fated mate? Love this! Evie is hiding behind her mask, but Aramon sees right through the years of practice. They have simmering tension between them, heightened by their forced proximity fake engagement. I love how he got to be the obsessed fiance and no one batted an eye. Evie and Aramon also got to learn a lot about each other, through thick and thin. A star crossed love story if I've ever heard one!

[April Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book in the series is so far my favorite. There's plot and spice. From the other books in the series you get backstory as well. The world is very well built and put together. All my favorite things. Tangible evidence of physic mate bonding not to mention the special equipment this particular MMC was sporting. Can't forget the insta lust love between both. Why fight it... Evie never got to have a life and be her own person. Choosing this male as her mate and going with it was probably one of the first things she was able to have to herself. From the time she always a child she was told what to wear eat and even do. Now finally It was her decision and it's her life now. I'm thrilled she has a mate that's a pilot as well because the adventures he inevitably be able to take her on is just so romantic.


Also I will say I was surprised that the brothers didn't share a woman. it'll be interesting to see his story and mate as well as the doctor and the cook !

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betrothed to the Alien Mercenary is a highly engaging Sci-Fi romance and book three in the Monster Mercenary Mates series.
On a secret diplomatic mission the Princess Evadne, her guards and Human Evie who is her body double are captured by crime lord Batok.
Rescue comes but only Evie and the princesses last guard Theronix remain.
Now aboard a mercenary vessel Evie who is now impersonating the princess must keep the promise she made to Evadne and complete the mission.
This story was a nicely written romance that for Evie becomes complicated when she and the mercenary ships pilot Aramon feel an instant attraction to each other after she boards their ship.
With plenty of action, adventure, intrigue, suspense, twists, secrets, danger, and spicy romance an intense and immersive read was provided.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Harleem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this Monster Mercenary Mates series by Robin O'Connor! It's a spin-off series from the Gladiators of the Vagabond where the male characters of this series are all different species of aliens with varying backgrounds who work on the Varakartoom–a mercenary ship. This variety offers a full spectrum of different romance stories to be told.

I wasn't expecting to love the MMC of this book so much–his species has skull-like features for a face and are telepathically linked to their twin. But Aramon is such a playful, fun, adventurous guy, that it's impossible not to fall in love with him! The FMC is a human woman who was abducted as a young child and has grown to be strong of spirit.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes alien romance stories, spicy x-rated love scenes, and a happy ending.

[Avis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this stand alone story. I loved both Aramon and Evie. But especially Evie, and what she had to put up with.

Aramon is very arrogant, an adrenaline junkie to the max and loves to push Evie's buttons to the max and beyond. He loves watching her reactions . He is also very loyal to what he considers family. So everyone on board the ship . I love that he refers to her as "his woman" or "his princess".

Acton from the first page. You get a feel for Evie and what she has been put through all of her life. Betrayal from an unexpected source.

POV from each person progressing the story with their own thoughts.

HEA was perfect. Steam to the eventual romance.

I will be re reading this adventure .
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shana W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really exciting and entertaining. It is filled with action, intrigue, humour, steam and found family. The main characters are really well developed and likable. Poor Evie has had no choices in the way her life has unfolded, but she has done well in that life and she is intent on keeping her promise to her dead friend. She really deserves Aramon's devotion and protectiveness, which he is happy to provide in spades. He really is a fascinating alien, particularly due to his appearance and his bond with his twin.
I love the thrilling action scenes in the book as well as the political intrigue. The secondary characters really help flesh out the story.  As usual, the author's writing style and detailed world building are fantastic.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Martha Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

When can we meet the Aliens? Betrothed To The Alien Mercenary is the third in a series of three books set in the fourth quadrant of space. I hope this ends up being the third in a larger series of books. The characters found within are continuing characters found in some of Ms. O'Connor's other series and I hope she keeps writing about all of them. I have rarely enjoyed other set-in-space series more.
If you are browsing and have never read any of Robin O'Connor's books do yourself a favor and start at the beginning. I started with the series 'Gladiators Of The Vagabond, then went back and picked 'Serpents Of Serant'. Whatever order you read them, just read them. If big, masculine sexy males are your thing, you found it with Robin O'Connor's work.
I borrowed this book from KU and have purchased many of Ms. O'Connor's works. Enjoy.

[Hollollolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You are my mate, my woman, my princess.” Yay, finally one of the twins! I adore Aramon and I can’t wait for his twin, Solear, to have his own story. I mean - “my protector, ready to end worlds on my behalf.” Full swoon. The glossary at the back is especially helpful as there are lots of characters, planets, and species to keep track of. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Spoilers! Below are the tags I included in my personal tracking that other users may find relevant:  alien, fake dating, fated mates, fmc-evie, government, interseries, interspecies, mmc-aramon, sci-fi, space, special junk

Fiction, romance, science fiction, adventurous, funny, hopeful, fast paced
Plot or Character Driven: plot
Strong character development: yes
Lovable characters: yes
Diverse cast of characters: yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: no

[Alejandra Guerrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Aramon. The story was great, action-packed, and spicy. I identified a lot with Aramon, I didn’t think I would have much in common with him, but I did. The way he was always thinking, always in motion, resonated with me. Evie was also a very interesting character. And I didn’t see the twist coming, so I was surprised when it happened. Maybe for other people it could be more obvious, but there are many clues pointing in different directions and the final reveal of the real mastermind behind the attacks came as a surprise, at least to me. I enjoyed it a lot. I can’t wait for Solear’s story. And all the other mercenaries’ as well.

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

[Katrina Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! Its so hard to find true sci/fi romance that is not fluffy and sweet. This book had some grit and plenty of action. The world building with the variety of alien species was really interesting and unique. It was a bit of a slow burn at first but then the smexy times were really delicious. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the MMC but the way he was written as cocky and his loyal, smart and loving side was slowly revealed was fantastic. Can't wait to see a book with his twin brother as the MMC.
I read this as my first book by the author (ARC)without earlier books in the series and it works well as a standalone. I am definitely downloading more from this author straight away!

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This alien romance story was engaging to read. This is about Evie who lives her life as the body double for Princess Evadne of the Xurtal Kingdom and Aramon an Asrai pilot of a mercenary ship that rescues her after the princess and the entourage were eaten by their captors. Keeping a promise to the princess to negotiate an alliance to secure the safety of the princess’ planet she needs a bodyguard. Aramon volunteers pretending to be her fiancé. What occurs in this adventurous romantic alien romance kept me highly entertained as I read this fated mate story. Evie and Aramon were wonderful characters and had chemistry that simmered in this enjoyable copy I'd received and volunteer to read and review.

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and highly engaging romance that brought together Evie and Aramon. Evie is a human gal that had been abducted from Earth and ended up a 'stunt' double to Princess Evadne. I loved her skills and how they surprised some of the peeps around her ;) Aramon is a cockie pilot with a mute twin (think truama :() and he was the perfect blend of arrogant and caring. These two strike sparks but no one is to know that Evie is not Evadne! Yikes! This helps set up more tension as they work through her mission to save the planet she was raised on. Expect a wild reading ride of intrigue, danger, action, adventure, twists and hot romance when you dive into this page turner. I'm so hoping that Soleal (Aramon's twin) gets his own HEA. Can't wait for the next book :D

[Guadalupe Cosme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evie is a human female. She is a body double for a Xurtal Princess. She has to pretend to be alien royalty. The dying Xurtal Princess makes Evie promise, to save her planet. Evie needs a bodyguard to to protect her from assassination. Aramon is assigned to be her bodyguard. Aramon has to pretend to be her betrothed. He realizes that Evie is his fated mate. The need to protect her is natural. Aramon, and Evie face many dangers--poisoning, attacks, and kidnapping.. Will Evie succeed in keeping her promise? Will her secret be discovered? I enjoyed reading this book! There is love, passion, danger, and intrigue.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.