Shadows of Stardust

by Leigh Miller

Roslyn

I didn’t sign up for Mate Match—the universe’s favorite reality dating show—to find a guy. I’m not here for fame or fortune or love.

I’m here to find my sister. She disappeared months ago, and after tracking her as far as the beautiful, tropical planet where Mate Match is filmed, I’m not going to let anything stop me from finding her.

Not even a huge, bad-tempered, wickedly handsome member of the show’s security team who seems to have eyes only for me.

Zandrel

I may have fallen far from my prestigious position in the universe’s most feared mercenary company, but not so far that I’ve lost the ability to spot trouble when it’s right in front of me.

Climbing my way back up the ranks means starting with this joke of an assignment, and no one’s going to stop me from regaining my honor.

Not even a human with eyes like emeralds and a fierce, defiant spirit who’s determined to undermine me at every turn.

But when a split-second decision casts us as unlikely allies, pretending to fall in love with billions of eyes across the universe watching, we may just end up being the keys to each other’s salvation.



Shadows of Stardust is a full-length scifi romance with a guaranteed HEA. For full content details, please visit the author's website.

Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Monster Romance, Paranormal Romance, Monsters, Forced Proximity

376 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Hi, I'm Leigh! I am an indie romance author who writes mainly in the fantasy and paranormal genres. I've been a romance fanatic since the first time I snuck one of my mom's Harlequin paperbacks, and never looked back.

​When I'm not writing, I spend a ton of time outdoors camping, hiking, and taking photos. I'm also big into tarot, astrology, and all things witchy,

Sign up for my newsletter to get bonus content, new book announcements and author updates: https://www.authorleighmiller.com/bc-...

Reviews

[Julotlinde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read and great chemistry.

I was slightly bored in the beginning, but this very quickly changed. Although the plot is interesting and multiple storylines are happening, they are not entirely my cup of tea. However, they were done quite well. However, I still think the dating show story could have been written slightly better. Additionally, I sometimes found the story's flow a bit confusing. I enjoy Miller's writing, but with this book, I sometimes had to read a passage twice to understand what was going on fully. Perhaps this is just me being tired, but this doesn't happen often to me.

The chemistry between the two main characters was excellent. Miller knows how to write a romantic story. I have recently seen that many romance books are not about love, but about lust, and this stuck with me. Now, when I read a book, I always think, 'Is this love or lust?' Miller, you did it perfectly. This was a love story. Yes, there was attraction between the characters, but it was first and foremost love. And so well written.

I enjoyed this story; the love between the characters was just incredible. I think some of the side plots could have been better, but that is all excused by the great romance plot

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dual POV, 1st person, MF | alien, sci-fi, military, fake dating, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, grumpy, creative anatomy, disabilities and scars

(ARC REVIEW)

I laughed, I cried and I found the perfect summer beach read for the sci-fi romance lover. “Shadows of Stardust” follows Ros who reluctantly finds herself to be a star of a reality tv dating show with other alien species (a la Love Island). She catches the eye of Zandrel, an ex-military security guard hired by the show due to her sometimes suspicious behavior. This lands the two grumpy characters in a fake dating scheme where they slowly start to fall for each other. The subplot motivations for each character to keep up the fake dating scheme was compelling and added emotional depth beyond the lighthearted reality show backdrop.

___

“And it’s not just the thought of being behind closed doors with him, either. It’s the way he’s looking at me. Like I’m the starlight, like everything we just shared wasn’t only for the cameras.”

[Claire Bobowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intergalactic love island?! Sign me up.
This is the perfect low stakes, moderately spicy, cute little summer read. It does not pretend to be anything other than what it is which I so appreciate. The characters are enjoyable and you can appreciate their separate motivations greatly. While the female lead originally made me want to hit my head against a wall with how obstinate and stupid she was being, the author very clearly reminded us that she was desperate and very aware that she was behaving irrationally. I let my irritation with her slide, and just let myself enjoy the ride. Would recommend <3

[Liv - Livslibrarylabyrinth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! The slow burn was perfect and I also loved the sci-fi lore sprinkled in (such as how the councils worked and how they travelled to different galaxies).

The concept was fantastic and I love the idea of an alien reality dating show with fake dating.

I do think there was some filler that could have been cut out because it did drag on at certain times. But overall it was a super enjoyable read and I wish there were more in a series!

[riley ☠︎︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars✨

this was so good. And kind of fucking emotional. I was crying (on the inside) when she had to say good bye to her sister. And then when she was leaving Zan. Thank Christ she basically got them both back in the end or I would’ve lost it.

Good thing she was a pilot in the military because she would’ve been the WORST undercover spy or something. She could not fake being in love to save her life. Like damn girl, try a little harder at least.

[Mai White · Rating 5 out of 5]

can I rate this more than 5⭐ please 🥺

Let me start off by saying I love Leigh Miller's work and this was no exception; infact I'm calling it, this is my favourite (so far) Shadows of Stardust is set on a Love Island type show where an alien mercenary, Zandrel is demoted and made to work as security on set. Here he meets human, Roslyn who is on the show for her own reasons, nothing to do with finding a date. They begin fake dating in a bid to help eachother reach their own goals. Don't think though, that this is a spicy alien romance, oh no I cried HARD for Ros. So if you don't mind having your heart ripped into tiny pieces and put back together again and you're into a bit of forced proximity with a side of "she teaches him how to kiss" and a dash of "he borrows her hair tie when he goes down" go pick this up because ohhhh my god it's a delicious read 🫠

Monster lovers, new & seasoned, you NEED to read any and every thing Leigh Miller

thank you to the author for this arc - thoughts are my own.

[Isabella Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

“αηутнιηg ѕнє αѕкѕ…єνєяутнιηg ѕнє ωαηтѕ…ιт’ѕ нєяѕ…”

Love Island but add aliens and a super galactic backdrop, and you have Shadows of Stardust! This is my first time reading Leigh Miller, and I’m not always a fan of alien romances but this was so sweet, so fun…I couldn’t help having such a good time while reading this.

Roslyn is our human FMC , ex military and on a mission to find her missing sister…this is how she ends up on Mate Match, an intergalactic dating show. She’s ready to use this opportunity to her advantage…but the producers of the show are a little weary of her antics and brash attitude, so they hire an alien bodyguard to keep her in line.

Zandrel is our Alien MMC who is also x military, turned bodyguard. He’s hired to keep an eye on Ros and play her blossoming love interest…and trust me…he’s not at all happy about having to babysit an annoying human.

These two are very similar…their military background gives them both a mutual understanding of each other. They are also both grumpier than grumpy and hold no punches with each other

Amidst the chaos that surrounds every reality dating show, scripted romance and fake love, these two start to develop real feeling a for each other. I loved seeing the slow burn between them…it wasn’t just lust…there were genuine feelings and emotions. Zan truly grew to care about Ros and wanted to be there for her in a way he never thought possible. Ros learns to let her guard down and allow love in…allow someone to care for her and lose some of the stubbornness that Zan has grown to love.

There’s nothing monumental that happens…it’s a pretty straight forward romance book with an alien twist but the writing is so good, you can’t help falling in love right along side them.

Thank you so much to Leigh Miller for allowing me to opportunity to ARC read this book 💙

👽Alien Romance
💙Sci-Fi
👽Intergalactic Dating Show
💙Love Island Vibes
👽Ex Military
💙Human FMC
👽Alien MMC
💙Grumpy x Grumpier
👽Forced Proximity
💙Enemies to Lovers
👽Broody Hero
💙Stubborn Heroine
👽Fake Dating
💙Dual POV

[Tabbie Fayth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing read. All of the monster and human books I've read have been filled with "fated mates", and this one was different. Zandrel and Roslyn did not begin their journey instantly in love. in fact, it was the opposite. They fought each other, didn't trust each other.

But along the way, they both learned to use each other to gain what they wanted. And during all of that pretending, faking being in love, they actually discovered a real connection.

I love the way everything was wrapped up. Nothing was left hanging. Their relationship status. Their life goals. The sister. Heck, we even know what happens with Juni.

I'm glad I was allowed an ARC of this story. It is by far my favorite book read in 2025!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Miller’s prose so much! I am such a fan of her writing style—this is my third book of hers I have read and they are all absolute bangers!

This book was ephemeral and existential, while also being perfectly steamy! 🥺🔥 idk I just love that for us?

Zandrel, our tough-exterior alien mmc, is such a complete romantic at heart and I just ate up that juxtaposition! And Roslyn, our stoic human fmc, is so tenacious! She learns to be vulnerable with Zan—just her journey was so great wowowow 👏

Also this is set on a tropical island planet, so it's great summer vibes! 🌞

[Archives of Jina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Words do not describe how stinking cute this book was. Unbelievably sweet and the perfect slow burn. I hope this author writes more scifi romances!

[Catalina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love island but with aliens 😃 the idea was there but the pacing and the plot fell flat to me, it couldve been 100 pages shorter

[Swessje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful concept, meh execution. The world-building? Stunning. The vibes? Immaculate. The pacing? Like wading through molasses in space boots. There were moments where I was hooked, and others where I was checking how many pages were left. The romance had potential but never fully lit up for me—it’s there, but not grab-you-by-the-throat there. Overall, it’s good, just not as magical as I wanted it to be.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Leigh Miller for the ARC!

Trigger or content warning? No.
FMC was abandoned by her Mom, leaving her responsible for her younger sister.

Details?
Roslyn is the FMC. I assumed she was late twenties to early thirties. Zandrel is the MMC. He is 33 years old.
Both are on birth control.
This is a dating show they are both present for. There is a OM that the FMC briefly dates, but has no actual interest in. Then the show sets up an OW to hit on the MMC, but he has no interest in her.

My thoughts?

Roslyn and Zandrel started a bit slow for me, which is funny because I would say they had a medium-burn in pacing. I was just really impatient for the two of them to get together. I have loved Leigh Miller’s paranormal romances, and I was really excited to see her take on an alien romance.

Roslyn is a dedicated older sister who was forced into the role of being a mother. Their Mom abandoned them. Savvie is Roslyn’s younger sister, and the centre of her universe. She has been doing anything and everything to guarantee Savvie’s safety.

Zandrel is a soldier who had recently been demoted because of conflict within the Aux. Which is how he ends up being a glorified body guard for the television series Mate Match. Begrudgingly.

Zandrel clocks Roslyn being *off* almost immediately. It was funny to have his perspective and for him to find Roslyn (small, human, no claws, no spikes, no protective plating) as such a menace to his mental sanity. Roslyn came onto Mate Match for one thing, and it is not to find true love. Yet when they’re thrown together and have to cover each other’s asses, they find themselves faking being in a relationship. Two touch starved soldiers, who end up bonding over play fighting with each other. Which the audience (and I) ate the heck up. Plus the taboo bonus of him starting out as a body guard and her being a contestant made them already a hot commodity. It felt like pulling teeth to get Roslyn to open up to Zandrel. Yet she did on her own timing, and with the encouragement that she could trust him.

Overall, I found this dislike-to-lovers really enjoyable. The build of them getting together was worth it, and their epilogue was so sweet and wonderful. I will be rereading this.

[Zaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness… I could not have asked for a better book!! The tension, the banter, the silly goofiness of it all — and that chaotic reality TV show twist?? Obsessed. This book instantly shot to the top of my Leigh Miller obsession (and trust me, I love every single one of her creations so go check those out too🐉🐙🧛‍♂️😉).

I’m not usually one for long reviews, so I’ll try and keep it short and sweet 💕

Right from the start, I was completely hooked. Zandrel and Roslyn are both mercenaries with military backgrounds, and the way their grumpy, honed personalities collide is just chef’s kiss. The plot is packed with depth and emotion, and the world-building? Yeah... it was out of this world 😉✨

Spice level? 5/5 🔥, What really made the spice stand out was how the alien element added this unexpected depth and curiosity — it wasn’t just hot, it was enticing.

And if you're into enemies-to-lovers and a good slow burn, you're going to devour this. Roslyn is the ultimate grump and Zandrel is, unbelievably, even grumpier — and I couldn’t be more obsessed with them.

This book had me laughing, swooning, gasping, and dying to reread. Leigh Miller, this might be your first dive into alien romance — but it reads like you’ve been writing it for years so well done 💖

Ros’s reason for being on Mate Match had me in all of my feels but I wouldn’t trade this reading experience for the world. Yes, this review was a tad longer than I’d usually write but honestly? This book deserves it. I hope you don’t hesitate to give it a read if it’s the kind of book you like, or you know what? Just dive right in regardless!! You won’t regret it <3

(And yes — I received an early copy as an ARC reader, but I give this review freely, and it is completely honest and straight from the heart. I just really loved it!!)

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not good, imo. I felt like nothing happened. I was bored throughout the entire book, which was very disappointing because the story line seemed like something I would enjoy. It was a lot of constantly repeating the same thing, like “I don’t know if I can trust him.” Girl, why? He’s helped you this whole time! I will say, however, that the lovey feel good stuff was enjoyable!

Spoilers for my memory:



FMC Roslyn is an ex military human who joined an off planet dating show to try and find her missing sister. MMC Zandrel is an ex mercenary who got demoted to being security for the show because he tried to do a good deed.

[lia · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick and entertaining! Zan was cuteee

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good. When I read the description about the dating show, I’ll admit I was a bit hesitant to read this, as it didn’t sound like my thing. But it was so good. I loved that they walked away from each other so they could fulfill their personal needs before committing to each other. That shit doesn’t usually happen in books and sometimes it’s just what you need. 4.5 ⭐️

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Meg Kross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.75 🌟
Spice: 3 🌶

This is a wonderfully easygoing and lovely love story. The worlds and planets that Leigh built are amazingly vivid.
The concept of reality tv for aliens is wonderfully creative and it was awesome to see how much "human" customs they brought into alien worlds.
I loved Ros and Zans love story, I could spend a whole entire book just reading about their post MateMatch life.
Oh also 10/10 he has a cock pocket!

[Dori Delgado · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start by saying that I absolutely see the vision for this story, and I plan to return to it at a later time when I’m in a better headspace for it. While I don’t usually watch reality TV, I’m familiar with Love Island, so I picked up on the vibes and setting right away.

What’s made it difficult for me to fully engage right now is the pacing. By the 40% mark, the story still hadn’t moved beyond the gameshow format, and I found myself waiting for the main plot to really take off. Even after the characters began revealing their true intentions and feelings, I struggled to stay fully invested due to how slow the momentum felt.

That said, I’m giving this 3 stars as of right now because I refuse to give it anything lower. Leigh’s writing is excellent! It’s rich with detail, and the emotions the characters experience genuinely radiate off the page. I truly believe this is a story worth revisiting, and I’m hopeful that once I dive back in, I’ll be able to update this review with a fresh perspective.

Thank you again, Leigh, for giving me the opportunity to read Shadows of Stardust ahead of its release.

[QwertyBlonde · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came for the space dating show. I stayed for Zandrel.

Let me set the scene: girl joins a cosmic version of The Bachelor to find her sister. Ends up fake dating a grumpy ex-mercenary with the emotional range of a boulder and the jawline of a god.

Every time Zandrel pretended he wasn’t obsessed with Roslyn, the universe gave him another excuse to “accidentally” touch her and the show’s producers are basically aliens with clipboards going, “Yes, please fight each other. That’ll boost ratings.”

There was one chapter where I blacked out regarding actually finding Roslyn's sister...felt like a side story than actual plot.

This book is like Love Island crashed into The Mandalorian and then got drenched in sexual tension and alien danger.

Would I date a former space merc in front of a billion viewers to find my missing sister? No.
But would I read the sequel while kicking my feet and giggling? YES.

[Cirphia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never write long reviews but this book needs one.
I love this story. I love Zan and Ros. I thought so long on how to rate this book since I had my personal ups and downs with it. But it is a great author who makes you feel so much for characters, that you have to stop reading and tell someone how upset they made you.

Ros is a human who is looking for her missing sister. She dedicated her life to this after she returned home from military service and found her sister gone. She located her on this remote planet only the ones who live there are allowed on. The only exception are the cast and crew of mate match, this dating reality show, that is inspired by 'old' human dating shows. Roslyn decides to participate to find Savvie.
There she meets Zan. He was once a high ranking mercenary but he got demoted because he spoke up against recruiting strategies that target young children without family and offer them some kind of prosperous future. So now he is a security guard at mate match. And he immediately senses that something about Ros is off.
I don't want to get into the back and forth of this enemies to allies to lovers too much, because I loved it. It's a nice slow burn with great character development.

But I need to talk about Savvie. If you don't want to get spoiled stop reading here.


Savvie is Roslyn's younger sister. Ros enlisted to support her sister. And every time she could, she would visit. The last time she saw Savvie, she kind of knew something was up. But Savvie didn't tell her. So when she finds their home empty and hears, that Savvie was taken to this remote planet, she fears for the worst.
But when she finds Savvie, after so many problems and obstacles, Ros finds her happy, safe and pregnant. And Savvie is not happy to see her, doesn't apologize for leaving without a trace or even acknowledged what Ros went through to get to her. I think Savvie doesn't even ask Ros anything about her life. She is kind of pissed that Ros risks Savvies place on this planet. I mean, sure, Savvie is happy and I get that she doesn't want to risk her life there or leave, but Roslyn didn't know that. In fact she didn't know in what condition Savvie would be, who she was with, or if she was in danger.
In addition, Savvie tells Ros about the reasons she had to leave (a situation with a bad ex boyfriend) and she kind of blames Roslyn for her own bad decision, because she was lonely.
And I get that you do stupid things when you are young and lonely, but she takes no responsibility for her own actions.
I am appalled by her actions. Her big sister did so much for her.
And even tho Savvie thanks her in the end for it, it is not enough in my opinion. Especially after she blames Ros for her decision and is pissed she went looking for her.
Like, you are surprised the sister who went to war just to make money so you can live is looking for you after you left without a trace?
I feel like I need to say, that even tho they still don't really talk about how much Savvie hurt Ros, they are on good terms and she visits after Zan makes the legal situation easier. And maybe it makes Ros a bigger person than me, but when I try to imagine getting this heartbroken by my sister, I don't think I would be able to forgive her without her saying sorry in any way.

It took me longer than expected to read this book, but it was worth it.

[Gaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

shadows of Stardust by Leigh Miller is a sci-fi, romance in space.
The story follows our two main characters, Rosalyn the human and Zandrel the Revexoran, they are both soldiers-ish because Rosalyn is discharged and Zandrel is a mercenary for this kinda military for hire group.
After being discharged, Rosalyn returned home only to find that her little sister is missing, tracking her last whereabouts to a ship heading to this planet called ertin2. Unfortunately for Rosalyn ertin is like the most guarded plant or something because the only way for her to get to it is to sign up for this reality dating show that takes place on the plant.
Zandrel on the other hand is on ertin working security for the show after being demoted for wanting to help orphans or something.
Rosalyn is a big deal because they never had a human on the show, and from the moment she gets off the shuttle, all eyes are on her, including Zandrel's eyes, because he immediately clocks her as up to something, and being bored out of his mind, he finds her interesting.
Rosalyn is doing her best to play along with the reality show stuff until she can get her chance to sneak off and look for her sister in the nearby settlement, but alas, Zandrel is too smart for her.
After catching Rosalyn in a pathetic escape attempt and having producers closing in on then Zandrel decides to help Rosalyn by pretending to be in love with one another. The producers eat that up and make Zandrel a cast member, promising to return his previous rank with his mercenary guild.
Then starts the whole fake dating thing as they actually fall in love and learn more about each other's motives. Rosalyn learns that Zandrel was demoted for speaking up against the recruitment of orphans into his mercenary guild, and Zandrel learns that Rosalyn is on ertin to look for her sister who vanished.
This book was middle of the road for me, I really liked the worldbuilding and lore, most of it was really solid, where I struggled was with the characters, they kinda sucked.
Not to be a hater but both Rosalyn and Zandrel felt a bit lifeless, more like architypes then people.
Zandrel is the muscle and the brain, he hacks the cameras and sensors, he came up with the plan, he is the protector, and Rosalyn… she’s there…
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that in the vast universe humans are squishy and weak but she could have at least been the smart one, instead she was just “soft and warm”, the book even goes out of its way to mention that Rosalyn is a pilot and I for sure thought that would be that one moment where she really shines but instead that tidbit led absolutely nowhere.
I’d have to give this book a 3.8, it was a nice read, if a little frustrating.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another beautifully written tale of silly gooses silly-goose-ing around their feelings and I am HERE FOR IT. Thanks to Leigh for this early read; this review is given freely and reflects my own personal opinions.

I'm not sure how or when exactly it happened but 2025 has become the year of Ashley's Non-Human Romance Extravaganza so when the blurb of this made its way into my booksta feed, I was SOLD. A human woman meeting an unlikely and reluctant ally in an alien guard, set against a backdrop giving Love Island energy? Really, you couldn't ask for anything more.

I am a big fan of enemies to lovers, but I also enjoy reluctant allies to begrudging friends to CHEMISTRY, BABY. I enjoyed how the dynamic between our two MCs was just a little spark at the beginning which grew into flames the likes of which could burn them both.

Roslyn is loyal and dedicated; after all, she is clearly a fish out of proverbial water as a contestant on the dating show that will be videoed and then produced for consumption by all manner of beings across the universe. She's got experience as a fighter and she tries to apply her mentality to being someone really excited about finding her match.. you can imagine its harder to fake being a social butterfly looking for love than it is to be a pilot discharged from the military.

Meanwhile, Zandrel's disdain and overall annoyance at being charged with keeping security tight on set was hilarious. I could perfectly envision his facial expressions, his body language, the general tone of his voice. I really enjoyed reading about his character and I VERY MUCH enjoyed his POV as he feels the feelings that he doesn't have words for.

If you like:
- the vibe of a scripted reality TV show but with a behind-the-scenes point of view AND focused on one couple doing their best to fake it
- horned MMCs where they work effectively as handlebars (iykyk)
- stoic and stern meets determined and stubborn - who will emerge victorious?? THE READER, that's who
.. this is an excellent new branch of Leigh's writing and I look forward, as always, to the creative setting and endearing characters that she writes next!

[Kelsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

What do you get when you mix a dating show, all different races of aliens, a sister determined to find her missing family member, and a alien “super soldier” who is determined to get his life back? You get an amazing book that will kept you on the edge of your seat filled with fantastic characters, a instant attraction/curiosity that turns in to a slow burn, forced proximity, enemies to lover’s romance, a mystery, plenty of spice and a hard earned happily ever after! I would highly recommend grabbing a copy of Shadows and Stardust today!

I have to say I really enjoyed this new alien romance by Leigh Miller. Especially our main characters! Now I will say Zandrel was absolutely my favorite character from the very beginning, he was smart, caring, protective without being overbearing and just all around an amazing character. Definitely one who should be added to the book boyfriend list. I will say Ros took me a little longer to warm up to because while I liked her determination, care for her sister, and her love of plants there were some moments where things seemed like they would be so much easier for her if she took the help offered to her and instead she would stubbornly refuse and while at first I absolutely understood her reason for not trusting anyone… but there were a few times where it felt like she was just avoiding help to be stubborn for the sake of being stubborn but once she finally accepted a little assistance her whole character turned around for me and I really started to love her character! Throw in a plot where our characters are thrust into the world of reality television while trying to keep their true motivations under wrap, top it all off with a relationship that start off as suspicious strangers, to enemies, to reluctant allies, to a madly in love couple.

[Bookfairymel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely amazing and just in time for summer as it takes place on a tropical beach planet. We follow Roslyn in her search for her sister; in which she signs up as a contestant on a dating show. Think love island sci fi vibes, with the grumpy and serious alien guard Zandrel, who immediately takes note of her. Both solders, they recognize something in each other and their whirlwind romance takes off from there. A classic enemies to lovers vibe, they agree to help each other achieve their goals and join the show as this seasons hottest couple. The lines get blurred, is it for the cameras or each other? Are the feelings real, are they ready to open up to each other? I cried more than once, Roslyn and her journey to find her sister tugging at my heart. Seeing two soldiers slowly lean on each other and heal while wondering how long the bliss will last. The ENDING, tears a plenty.

Between the heart wrenching moments, the spice was soooo good. Flaring hot and passionate one moment and then tender and vulnerable the next. Discovering each other’s pleasure and trying to fight the chemistry to avoid the heartbreak. Zandrel was a man DEDICATED to her pleasure, and the moment where he finally broke and said “please”, I dieddddd. He was so sexy and confident, it was very very good. Between the tears and the sizzling moments were two soldiers desperate for the lives they lost, desperate for a connection to someone who understands what they’ve gone through, and desperately falling in love with each other against all odds. To say I was in love with this story and couple is an understatement, 5 stars!

[FloofyMooseReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a standalone sci-fi romance involving a reality dating show, a FMC with secrets and a MMC who wants his old life back. I received an advance review copy and my thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author for my eArc.

Tropes and themes include:
✨ Fake dating
✨ Adversaries to allies to lovers
✨ Forced proximity
✨ He’s only soft for her
✨ Reality dating show
✨ She’s hiding secrets
✨ Back scars
✨ Grumpy x grumpy
✨ She can’t find his. . .

Rating: 4/5 Stars 3/5 Flames
Nickname: My Warrior

The Lovely: I loved the concept behind this story - she’s on a secret mission and takes part in a reality dating show (kinda Bachelor/Bachelorette-esque) to gain access to what she needs. But through a bit of a comedy of misfortunes, the mercenary turned security guard teams up with her to get what *he* wants. And this was FUN. I wouldn’t exactly call it cozy or a rom-com, but it wasn’t a high tension read either. Just a nice, relaxing, romantic read set in space. And, I really liked this was a standalone.

The Mundane: While I get both MCs were grumpy and not prone to a lot of socializing, it felt like to me this book needed more actually dialogue and less inner monologues. Even towards the end of the book, when their relationship would have allowed for more talking it felt dialogue light.

Recommendation: This is something a bit different from this author - sci-fi and a standalone - but still that fun vibe I’ve come to expect. If you are interested in a standalone sci-fi romance based on a reality dating show, plus some whimsy, I think you would like this book.

[Grave · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this rich sci-fi world, Roslyn is a battle-worn ex-military pilot—hardly the type you'd expect to sign up for a cheesy reality dating show. But her reasons have nothing to do with love or fame. Zandrel, a disgraced mercenary forced to work as a security guard, is equally out of place and driven by his own need for redemption. When their paths collide, the result is instant friction, deep suspicion, and eventually, an uneasy alliance. As they’re forced to work together, both their futures are reshaped in unexpected ways that make for an engaging romance read.

I’m a sucker for stories where two traumatized characters slowly learn to trust each other under pressure, and this hits that note quite well. Roslyn and Zandrel’s relationship builds carefully—there’s nothing easy or rushed about it. The reality show setting offers a unique backdrop, and you really get a thorough understanding of what is going on inside the main characters as it unfolds. Both their backstories are detailed and well-thought out.

The forced proximity element gradually reveals the gentler sides of these two guarded, grumpy characters, which I loved. I do wish the fake dating and reality show premise had been more fully developed and integrated into the plot, but at its heart, this story is about Ros and Zandrel—and that focus is the best part anyway.

With its blend of spice, character growth, and bittersweet moments, this book delivers a satisfying emotional journey. The tone leans more serious than the premise might suggest, but the bond between our couple grounds everything in a way that feels real and earned.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO good. The beginning was kind of boring/off-putting and I almost quit, but I'm SO glad I didn't. It was really drawn out - will tragic circumstance keep them apart?? - but the payoff was SO SO good.

The spice was out of this world, phenomenal, 10 out of 10, maybe best spice I've ever read.

And like the mix of vulnerable and stoic - I am HERE for it.

I enjoyed the lighthearted sci-fi premise, Mate Match = Love Island, it kind of reminded me a little of Firefly in the treatment of space, space travel, post-Earth humanity. I was also here for what I feel were nascent anti-military industrial complex sentiments.

Just incredible. I'm definitely diving into Leigh's works after this one.

Minor gripe: Earth was abandoned roughly 25 years ago, when Ros was around 6, and that's when humanity found out about all the rest of the galaxies, who have all known each other and practiced intergalactic space travel and have all these highly-trained mercenary armies populated by super strong aliens with natural defenses and weapons...and somehow, the Sol Alliance is formed??? I am not doubting mankind's propensity and desire to be space mercenaries, but it does NOT make ANY sense at all that humans would have the capacity to be a meaningful space merc force under these conditions.

One more thing, I’ve read a fair few alien romances - Choosing Theo / Clecanian series, Ice Planet Barbarians, etc, and those aren’t really sci-fi, Clecanians barely feel like aliens at all and IPB fits more tropes of monster romance than anything else, but this feels like a true sci-fi work, like the world-building/galaxy-building is there. I’m really impressed by Leigh as an author.

[JML · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic first foray into Sci-fi Romance🔥💖🌟

I've read many of Leigh Miller's books all of them monster and magic related and loved them all. So I was super excited to read Shadows and Star dust her first Sci-fi romance and I was not disappointed! The world building was complex and the characters not only had Chemistry but depth. Roslyn and her sister Savvie are survivors from a now ruined Earth. Parents gone they had only each other. Roslyn joins the Sol alliance what's left of the human military to be able to take care of her sister. Tragedy strikes and Roslyn returns home to find her sister missing. She finds a sliver of evidence she might be on a closed world. The only way on is if you're A native or a part of the Mate match program. Zandrel A tough no nonsense mercenary has been demoted for telling the truth. He's now security for the Mate Match program and hates every minute of it. When he sees the human he knows something off he can't help but want to know her real reasons for being here and he's sure it not to find a mate. They dance around one another and end up in a compromising position that makes them join forces. What started out as adversarial turns into something deep and meaningful. Trust is slowly earned, attraction grows into true caring but obligations of the past stand in their way. Can these two souls find their way to one another and fight for a life they both want and deserve ? You have to read and find out yoh won't be disappointed it was truly a great read. Highly recommend💖🌟🔥🔥🌟💖💖🌟🔥🌟💖🔥💖🌟🔥🌟💖🔥💖🌟🔥🌟💖🔥💖🌟🔥💖🌟🔥💖🌟🔥🌟💖🔥💖🌟🔥