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The Mandrake Company #2
Trial and Temptation
After ten years of flying freighter ships from planet to planet, Val Calendula never thought she would apply for a job as a combat pilot in a mercenary outfit. But her brother has gotten himself into financial trouble, and he’s heading to a mining prison if Val can’t pay off his debts. Mercenaries don’t always live long... but they make good money while they’re alive. A few combat bonuses, and Val could earn what she needs. The problem? She might have graduated from the military flight academy, but she hasn’t fought anything more dangerous than dust bunnies on the bridge lately. To make matters worse, the man in charge of hiring pilots was her instructor back at the academy. Commander Thatcher was almost as brilliant as he was arrogant and condescending, and he never seemed to think Val was smart enough to be there. She has no idea if she’ll be able to convince him otherwise now... or if she’ll be able to stand working with him.
When Gregor Thatcher left the military, he never expected to run into any of his former acquaintances, much less the one he admired and mooned over during his two years teaching at the academy. Back then, he never told Val Calendula he cared for her, partially because officers weren’t supposed to have relations with cadets, but mostly because he didn’t know how to speak of his feelings. He might not have any trouble grasping navigational mathematics and astrodynamics, but people are more problematic. Gregor is elated that Val has entered his life again, but he’s fairly certain she hates him. Worse, he’s responsible for deciding whether she’s qualified to be a combat pilot. How can he judge fairly when his tongue tangles and idiotic words come out of his mouth whenever she’s around?
When the captain sends Val and Gregor on a mission to pick up a military advisor and deliver him to a planet at war, Val hopes she’ll have an opportunity to prove herself capable of the piloting position. Gregor hopes he’ll have the opportunity to improve Val’s opinion of him. But when the military advisor goes missing, and they’re forced to divert to a dangerous moon base, the mission turns into a fight for survival. Val may learn too late that there’s more to Gregor than that aloof exterior… and that inside is a man she could love.
Trial and Temptation is a full-length science fiction romance novel of 73,000 words. It is part of the “Mandrake Company” series and is recommended for readers who enjoy space-based adventure (such as Firefly) and steamy love stories (in the style of Linnea Sinclair).
When Gregor Thatcher left the military, he never expected to run into any of his former acquaintances, much less the one he admired and mooned over during his two years teaching at the academy. Back then, he never told Val Calendula he cared for her, partially because officers weren’t supposed to have relations with cadets, but mostly because he didn’t know how to speak of his feelings. He might not have any trouble grasping navigational mathematics and astrodynamics, but people are more problematic. Gregor is elated that Val has entered his life again, but he’s fairly certain she hates him. Worse, he’s responsible for deciding whether she’s qualified to be a combat pilot. How can he judge fairly when his tongue tangles and idiotic words come out of his mouth whenever she’s around?
When the captain sends Val and Gregor on a mission to pick up a military advisor and deliver him to a planet at war, Val hopes she’ll have an opportunity to prove herself capable of the piloting position. Gregor hopes he’ll have the opportunity to improve Val’s opinion of him. But when the military advisor goes missing, and they’re forced to divert to a dangerous moon base, the mission turns into a fight for survival. Val may learn too late that there’s more to Gregor than that aloof exterior… and that inside is a man she could love.
Trial and Temptation is a full-length science fiction romance novel of 73,000 words. It is part of the “Mandrake Company” series and is recommended for readers who enjoy space-based adventure (such as Firefly) and steamy love stories (in the style of Linnea Sinclair).
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2014
104 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
March 18, 2015
Although you could probably read this one as a stand-alone (seriously, the characters from the previous figure very, very lightly in this one), I still recommend you read in order. Not only will you have a good idea what to expect, but the first story is ever so slightly better, I think.
Not that there's anything wrong with Val or Gregor. Indeed, they're lovely and a great couple; I fell for Val almost immediately and Gregor wasn't far behind. The plot was much more straight-forward, though, and the sci-fi just a tad lighter sprinkled, so the story as a whole felt a lot more linear. Probably because it was a lot more linear. There's really no tension about whether of not Val would qualify and be offered a position with the company, for example (it's clear she is a good pilot from the start—however rusty). And I never quite felt the danger they were in throughout, somehow.
Which makes it sound like this was a weak story and nothing could be further from the truth. It's action-packed and gripping and the pacing is excellent. Indeed, I gulped it down in a few short binges and emerged eager to find the next. So far, this series is shaping up very well, indeed.
A note about Steamy: Way lighter than I expected, actually. There's some light kissing but only really a single explicit scene that, while very hot and not short, is still all alone by itself... Well worth the wait, though...
Not that there's anything wrong with Val or Gregor. Indeed, they're lovely and a great couple; I fell for Val almost immediately and Gregor wasn't far behind. The plot was much more straight-forward, though, and the sci-fi just a tad lighter sprinkled, so the story as a whole felt a lot more linear. Probably because it was a lot more linear. There's really no tension about whether of not Val would qualify and be offered a position with the company, for example (it's clear she is a good pilot from the start—however rusty). And I never quite felt the danger they were in throughout, somehow.
Which makes it sound like this was a weak story and nothing could be further from the truth. It's action-packed and gripping and the pacing is excellent. Indeed, I gulped it down in a few short binges and emerged eager to find the next. So far, this series is shaping up very well, indeed.
A note about Steamy: Way lighter than I expected, actually. There's some light kissing but only really a single explicit scene that, while very hot and not short, is still all alone by itself... Well worth the wait, though...
November 6, 2025
Trial and Temptations is an action packed, science fiction story that includes space travel, planetary war and an endearing romance between a socially awkward genius pilot and a hotty pilot recruit.
Geogor Thatcher had a huge crush on his training Val Calendula. He never thought he'd see her again once he left the military. Val Calendula needs money to save her brother. She joins the mercenary crew of the Mandrake Company only to discover the man that tormented her military career, Georgor Thatcher, is now in charge of her fate in the Mandrake Company.
Sent on a desperate mission to transport a general to a war riddled planet, Geogor and Val discover appreciation for each other flight skills while the attraction between them blooms. Geogor seems to be suffering from Asperger, which makes his pursuit and attraction to Val and Val's ability to see beyond his botched attempts very endearing.
I found Trial and Temptations a highly entertaining and a very enjoyable read.
Geogor Thatcher had a huge crush on his training Val Calendula. He never thought he'd see her again once he left the military. Val Calendula needs money to save her brother. She joins the mercenary crew of the Mandrake Company only to discover the man that tormented her military career, Georgor Thatcher, is now in charge of her fate in the Mandrake Company.
Sent on a desperate mission to transport a general to a war riddled planet, Geogor and Val discover appreciation for each other flight skills while the attraction between them blooms. Geogor seems to be suffering from Asperger, which makes his pursuit and attraction to Val and Val's ability to see beyond his botched attempts very endearing.
I found Trial and Temptations a highly entertaining and a very enjoyable read.
September 21, 2019
Loved this one.
Ten years ago he was her teacher and she thought he hated her. Now she depends on his good opinion to get the job as a pilot for the Mandrake Mercenary outfit.
Val truly didn't like him when they first knew each other. As they are forced into close company she realizes she had misjudged him and once she sees that she starts to appreciate him.
Gregor is written like he's autistic but nothing concrete is ever said. He's crushed on her for years. There's a war they are paid to intervene and a jackass admiral who clouds the waters with his prejudices.
But mostly it's a raucous stage for Val and Gregor to fall in love on.
I look forward to seeing them in the next books in the series.
Safety is good
Ten years ago he was her teacher and she thought he hated her. Now she depends on his good opinion to get the job as a pilot for the Mandrake Mercenary outfit.
Val truly didn't like him when they first knew each other. As they are forced into close company she realizes she had misjudged him and once she sees that she starts to appreciate him.
Gregor is written like he's autistic but nothing concrete is ever said. He's crushed on her for years. There's a war they are paid to intervene and a jackass admiral who clouds the waters with his prejudices.
But mostly it's a raucous stage for Val and Gregor to fall in love on.
I look forward to seeing them in the next books in the series.
Safety is good
August 30, 2024
The blurb for this book mentions a fight for survival and that is not an exaggeration. Val (h) is a pilot just trying to apply for a job with a mercenary group so that she can earn enough money to bail out her brother from a bad situation. She ends up with a former instructor as a commanding officer evaluating her potential as a recruit and then finds herself assigned on a precarious mission with said commanding officer that tests them in unexpected ways. Poor Gregor (H) struggles with understanding the general population’s motivations and intricate dynamics, put him near Val (who he had a secret interest in when he was her instructor) and he’s a lost lamb who’s trying to connect but just ends up irritating her more. She hated him as an instructor and still isn’t a fan. Until that dangerous mission forces them both much closer and gives them insight into each other. I love a good “hey, are we going to die, I suddenly need to kiss you” moment and also the ever so delightful “huh, now that we’ve escaped death numerous times, I can give you grace and understanding I couldn’t before”.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow drama, not really om drama but h is hit on by a couple of men and one in particular puts H over the edge. Both are experienced but I think it may have been a while for each (I can’t recall specifics though).
I liked both Val and Gregor. I loved that Val was a little rusty on some of her skills so she was capable and managing well but not automatically amazing. Gregor was more than capable, but he lacked soft skills, which Val could help with. There’s no label here, but I’d consider him to be neurodivergent. That greater exposure to his lack of peopling ability makes a lightbulb go off for Val that how others perceive Gregor is not a reflection of how he perceives them. That shift not only meant they worked together more as a unit, but also that their physical attraction to each other could potentially become something.
The book isn’t very steamy, it’s been a few days since I read it, but I only recall one detailed steamy scene and some of the discussion surrounding it was interesting character-wise but took away from the momentum of the scene too. I will say though that I did feel that this romance was heavily built on that physical attraction, not on emotional intimacy. They do open up some and life or death situations can rapidly create that intimate feeling. I just didn’t feel like this was love.
The plot was very rapid and action-focused with some violence and lots of suspenseful moments. Once the ball is rolling on their mission, it’s pretty non-stop with various dangerous elements and uncertainties they have to face. I did enjoy the action scenes and some of Gregor’s on the spot adjustments specifically. The mission does come to a resolution and our main couple literally fly off together. The ending is HFN though and doesn’t have a peek into their future. I’m assuming that they’re featured in the rest of the series but esp with how we don’t get any time with this couple in a non-high pressure situation, I needed something more in this book specifically to get that satisfied feeling. I found parts of this really enjoyable, but ultimately felt it didn’t deliver enough on the romance side.
Written in third person, dual POV. No ow drama, not really om drama but h is hit on by a couple of men and one in particular puts H over the edge. Both are experienced but I think it may have been a while for each (I can’t recall specifics though).
I liked both Val and Gregor. I loved that Val was a little rusty on some of her skills so she was capable and managing well but not automatically amazing. Gregor was more than capable, but he lacked soft skills, which Val could help with. There’s no label here, but I’d consider him to be neurodivergent. That greater exposure to his lack of peopling ability makes a lightbulb go off for Val that how others perceive Gregor is not a reflection of how he perceives them. That shift not only meant they worked together more as a unit, but also that their physical attraction to each other could potentially become something.
The book isn’t very steamy, it’s been a few days since I read it, but I only recall one detailed steamy scene and some of the discussion surrounding it was interesting character-wise but took away from the momentum of the scene too. I will say though that I did feel that this romance was heavily built on that physical attraction, not on emotional intimacy. They do open up some and life or death situations can rapidly create that intimate feeling. I just didn’t feel like this was love.
The plot was very rapid and action-focused with some violence and lots of suspenseful moments. Once the ball is rolling on their mission, it’s pretty non-stop with various dangerous elements and uncertainties they have to face. I did enjoy the action scenes and some of Gregor’s on the spot adjustments specifically. The mission does come to a resolution and our main couple literally fly off together. The ending is HFN though and doesn’t have a peek into their future. I’m assuming that they’re featured in the rest of the series but esp with how we don’t get any time with this couple in a non-high pressure situation, I needed something more in this book specifically to get that satisfied feeling. I found parts of this really enjoyable, but ultimately felt it didn’t deliver enough on the romance side.
May 18, 2015
This is a second installment where another set of characters are the hero and the heroine.
We've already met the hero: Thatcher, the strict and almost cyborg-ish member of the Mandrake mercenaries! :)
Here we discover that he is yes, strict and sometime seems like he has no feeling, but he's also very perplexed with why other people do not understand his actions! It was hilrious to read! LOL
The heroine, a "normal" woman first loathes him, but when they're thrown together in a very dangerous situation, she cahnges her point of view. She glimpses his humanity and realizes that he has strong feelings, but is unable to express them.
Slowly, she pulls out his feelings and introduces him to a more human approach to life! It was endearing to read and I liked that too!
A great SF romance with a lot of action, damger and some real hot moments! :)
We've already met the hero: Thatcher, the strict and almost cyborg-ish member of the Mandrake mercenaries! :)
Here we discover that he is yes, strict and sometime seems like he has no feeling, but he's also very perplexed with why other people do not understand his actions! It was hilrious to read! LOL
The heroine, a "normal" woman first loathes him, but when they're thrown together in a very dangerous situation, she cahnges her point of view. She glimpses his humanity and realizes that he has strong feelings, but is unable to express them.
Slowly, she pulls out his feelings and introduces him to a more human approach to life! It was endearing to read and I liked that too!
A great SF romance with a lot of action, damger and some real hot moments! :)
November 15, 2020
This couple was so stinking cute and I loved the awkward H! So much fun!
June 24, 2018
I love myself a good introvert love story, so I was a true sucker for this one! Love.
August 8, 2024
This is not as strong as the first book, with lame motivations. The main guy plays the nervous nerd to the hilt, but he's less annoying than the story itself. Very slow burn with a tepid payoff.
I'll try the next one as the first was pretty good.
I'll try the next one as the first was pretty good.
August 12, 2025
Trial and Temptation is the second book in the Mandrake Company Sci Fi series. A bunch of misfits with specialised talents form the mercenaries of this story. With women who find themselves amongst these men who will do anything to protect them, but the women aren't shy about getting their hands dirty.
It is a lot of fun, packed with action and some steamy times, and humour.
It is a lot of fun, packed with action and some steamy times, and humour.
July 14, 2015
Another winner in this series! I very much liked Thatcher. He was so clumsy, but still so good.
His interactions, his inner motives, the dialogues - it all made the book so enjoyable.
The love interest was also very nicely done. An interesting and relatable woman. No beauty contestant, no wonder woman. Just a nice gal.
The story had the same great pace and good writing. I like the world-building a lot and it was very nice to meet again with the mercenaries of the Mandrake company.
His interactions, his inner motives, the dialogues - it all made the book so enjoyable.
The love interest was also very nicely done. An interesting and relatable woman. No beauty contestant, no wonder woman. Just a nice gal.
The story had the same great pace and good writing. I like the world-building a lot and it was very nice to meet again with the mercenaries of the Mandrake company.
October 22, 2020
Oh goodness, that was adorable! With some nice action thrown in!
Thatcher’s mind processes were hilarious and Val dealt with his quirks perfectly!
The ending left me feeling all “awwwww” and smiley.
Their relationship was the main plot with the mercenary mission as a vehicle to their interactions. I really enjoyed it!
Thatcher’s mind processes were hilarious and Val dealt with his quirks perfectly!
The ending left me feeling all “awwwww” and smiley.
Their relationship was the main plot with the mercenary mission as a vehicle to their interactions. I really enjoyed it!
November 16, 2015
I want a dwarf mango tree.
I liked it, maybe not as much as the first and third book but it was a satisfying read anyway. The hero reminded me of Zachary Quinto's Spock but like... shier and obsessed with flying.
I liked it, maybe not as much as the first and third book but it was a satisfying read anyway. The hero reminded me of Zachary Quinto's Spock but like... shier and obsessed with flying.
January 17, 2016
It was soooooooooooooo good. I was smiling so big when I read the ending. Gregor was so cute!!!! CUTE!!!!!! I'm really looking forward to the next book. Great world-building, cool plot, believable characters that I got emotionally involved with!
March 27, 2022
Fantastic Sci-Fi Romance!
Wow! This is so well done. I’ve been struggling to find a sci-fi romance that I’m excited about, and this 100% hit the spot. Definitely has a bit of a Firefly feel to it, but with romance. It’s Super sweet with a bit of steam at the very end, but I wouldn’t call it a slow burn since the kiss pretty early. The two leads felt really compatible with each other. Also, they each had a personal plot line to resolve and the mistakes they made really made sense for their characters. No forced miscommunication nonsense here!
Gregor is a total sweetheart despite having a Spock-like exterior. The word autism is never used, but he’s clearly on the spectrum. And it’s really well done — you really get that he processes and reacts to the world differently, and his portrayal is consistent. (It absolutely drives me crazy when a character suddenly gains neurotypical social skills because the romance is progressing — and that does NOT happen here.)
I liked Val a lot too — her reactions were really understandable, but she also is patient and gives people second chances — even when it’d be socially acceptable for her not to. She really listens to all the characters she interacts with, which made me feel like she was a perfect match for Gregor, who has trouble expressing how he feels.
Wow! This is so well done. I’ve been struggling to find a sci-fi romance that I’m excited about, and this 100% hit the spot. Definitely has a bit of a Firefly feel to it, but with romance. It’s Super sweet with a bit of steam at the very end, but I wouldn’t call it a slow burn since the kiss pretty early. The two leads felt really compatible with each other. Also, they each had a personal plot line to resolve and the mistakes they made really made sense for their characters. No forced miscommunication nonsense here!
Gregor is a total sweetheart despite having a Spock-like exterior. The word autism is never used, but he’s clearly on the spectrum. And it’s really well done — you really get that he processes and reacts to the world differently, and his portrayal is consistent. (It absolutely drives me crazy when a character suddenly gains neurotypical social skills because the romance is progressing — and that does NOT happen here.)
I liked Val a lot too — her reactions were really understandable, but she also is patient and gives people second chances — even when it’d be socially acceptable for her not to. She really listens to all the characters she interacts with, which made me feel like she was a perfect match for Gregor, who has trouble expressing how he feels.
July 27, 2020
Autistic or eideditic hero -- different
January 8, 2018
SCI-FI DELIGHT !!!
Title: Trial and Temptation
Series: Mandrake Company
Author: Ruby Lionsdrake
Designation: Book Two of Series, Full-Length Standalone Sci-Fi Romance, NO Cliffhanger
Genre: #sciencefiction #romance #action #adventure
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Delightfully Entertaining Stars*****
Jackpot! I've found another great author to add to my list of favorites! This is my first time reading Ruby Lionsdrake but it certainly won't be my last! I love, love, love romance and adore science fiction, but throw in a generous serving of pulse-pounding action, thrilling adventure along with a sprinkling of snarky humor and I'm in heaven! And Ruby Mandrake just delivered the perfect combination in Trial and Temptation, the second riveting release in her popular Mandrake Company series. Granted, I sorta started out of order by reading Book Two without realizing it was the second of the series but no problem, each of the books are full-length standalones and can be read in any order. However, I did race back to Amazon and picked up Mercenary Instinct, the first book of the series, so I can read it next and then resume reading them in chronological order. Trial and Temptation is an exciting, imaginative, fast-paced exceptionally well crafted, well written and well edited science fiction romp filled to the brim with action, adventure, danger, humor and romance. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with clearly defined his and her perspectives from the two protagonists, handsome mercenary Commander Gregor Thatcher and beautiful former freighter pilot and hopeful new mercenary, Valerian Calendula. Neither Gregor nor Val are your traditional hero or heroine but I fell head over heels for both. They were not your typical lovers either...you know...love at first sight...meeting and instantly falling into lust and love. In fact, these two unlikely lovers met ten years earlier when Val entered the Galactic Conglomeration as a cadet and Gregor was Lieutenant Commander Thatcher, her academy instructor....her very arrogant, pompous, know-it-all instructor. And apparently he hasn't changed a bit, so get ready for some fireworks with these two. They were the cutest couple ever and absolutely perfect together, playing off each other brilliantly. The entire dialogue was smart, sexy, at times funny, well executed and flowed effortlessly. I was immediately drawn into the story by the snark and attitude of the strong, sassy Val who was determined to secure a job as a mercenary in order to make enough money to bail her brother, Yarrow, out of trouble but was so afraid she might fail since her former academy nemesis, Commander Thatcher, would be the one to decide if she could pass muster and become a permanent employee of Mandrake Company. Val was an absolute delight and poor Gregor was far from your typical charismatic alpha male hero. Poor thing...he was totally clueless when it came to wooing a woman but I have to give him an A+ for effort. Once he set his mind to the task, and, of course, put it on his list, he's determined to win the heart of cadet Calendula. And yes, the brilliant Commander had a list for everything! lol.... No spoilers from me but I will say if you enjoy thrilling well-written science fiction loaded with danger, drama, action, adventure and steamy romance, then Trial and Temptation is most certainly the book for you.
Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! I was immediately drawn into the story and once I started, I couldn't stop. I read well into the wee hours of the morning; I simply had to discover, do they or don't they, and I was not disappointed! Would I recommend it? You bet and I am but only for adult readers since there are some steamy love scenes included. Will I read this author again? Abso-freakin-lutely! As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this review, I intend to devour Book One, then hopefully pace myself on three other books in the series. And the most important question of all, was I entertained? Oh lawd, yes! Totally and completely entertained. I loved it! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read.
Title: Trial and Temptation
Series: Mandrake Company
Author: Ruby Lionsdrake
Designation: Book Two of Series, Full-Length Standalone Sci-Fi Romance, NO Cliffhanger
Genre: #sciencefiction #romance #action #adventure
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: Five Delightfully Entertaining Stars*****
Jackpot! I've found another great author to add to my list of favorites! This is my first time reading Ruby Lionsdrake but it certainly won't be my last! I love, love, love romance and adore science fiction, but throw in a generous serving of pulse-pounding action, thrilling adventure along with a sprinkling of snarky humor and I'm in heaven! And Ruby Mandrake just delivered the perfect combination in Trial and Temptation, the second riveting release in her popular Mandrake Company series. Granted, I sorta started out of order by reading Book Two without realizing it was the second of the series but no problem, each of the books are full-length standalones and can be read in any order. However, I did race back to Amazon and picked up Mercenary Instinct, the first book of the series, so I can read it next and then resume reading them in chronological order. Trial and Temptation is an exciting, imaginative, fast-paced exceptionally well crafted, well written and well edited science fiction romp filled to the brim with action, adventure, danger, humor and romance. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with clearly defined his and her perspectives from the two protagonists, handsome mercenary Commander Gregor Thatcher and beautiful former freighter pilot and hopeful new mercenary, Valerian Calendula. Neither Gregor nor Val are your traditional hero or heroine but I fell head over heels for both. They were not your typical lovers either...you know...love at first sight...meeting and instantly falling into lust and love. In fact, these two unlikely lovers met ten years earlier when Val entered the Galactic Conglomeration as a cadet and Gregor was Lieutenant Commander Thatcher, her academy instructor....her very arrogant, pompous, know-it-all instructor. And apparently he hasn't changed a bit, so get ready for some fireworks with these two. They were the cutest couple ever and absolutely perfect together, playing off each other brilliantly. The entire dialogue was smart, sexy, at times funny, well executed and flowed effortlessly. I was immediately drawn into the story by the snark and attitude of the strong, sassy Val who was determined to secure a job as a mercenary in order to make enough money to bail her brother, Yarrow, out of trouble but was so afraid she might fail since her former academy nemesis, Commander Thatcher, would be the one to decide if she could pass muster and become a permanent employee of Mandrake Company. Val was an absolute delight and poor Gregor was far from your typical charismatic alpha male hero. Poor thing...he was totally clueless when it came to wooing a woman but I have to give him an A+ for effort. Once he set his mind to the task, and, of course, put it on his list, he's determined to win the heart of cadet Calendula. And yes, the brilliant Commander had a list for everything! lol.... No spoilers from me but I will say if you enjoy thrilling well-written science fiction loaded with danger, drama, action, adventure and steamy romance, then Trial and Temptation is most certainly the book for you.
Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! I was immediately drawn into the story and once I started, I couldn't stop. I read well into the wee hours of the morning; I simply had to discover, do they or don't they, and I was not disappointed! Would I recommend it? You bet and I am but only for adult readers since there are some steamy love scenes included. Will I read this author again? Abso-freakin-lutely! As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this review, I intend to devour Book One, then hopefully pace myself on three other books in the series. And the most important question of all, was I entertained? Oh lawd, yes! Totally and completely entertained. I loved it! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read.
December 25, 2014
I loved Mercenary Instinct and could not wait to visit the Mandrake Company again. Commander Gregor Thatcher was a side character in Mercenary Instinct (he got a small mention only) and Val Calendula is a brand new character in the series. However, the two are not strangers. They met years ago when Val was a cadet and Gregor was one of her commanding officers. Now both have left the military and are part of the Mandarke Company.
I think Gregor Thatcher is one of the best awkward male characters I have ever had the privilege to meet. He is brilliant in his field but he just does not get small talk or how to relate to the people around him. He tries so hard to appeal to Val and everything he says just comes out wrong. For me that was his big appeal. It takes being stranded in a very dangerous situation for Val to see him and appreciate him for the wonderful man he really is. The two have to carry Trial and Temptation and they do a very good job of keeping things moving.
As always in a series I would have liked to see more of the characters from book one but that did not keep me form enjoying adding Gregor and Val to the list of my favorite characters. The fact that this is primarily Gregor and Val’s story means that it functions well as a stand along story. I still recommend reading Mercenary Instinct first and after you finish these two you can move on to book three The Assassin’s Salvation.
I think Gregor Thatcher is one of the best awkward male characters I have ever had the privilege to meet. He is brilliant in his field but he just does not get small talk or how to relate to the people around him. He tries so hard to appeal to Val and everything he says just comes out wrong. For me that was his big appeal. It takes being stranded in a very dangerous situation for Val to see him and appreciate him for the wonderful man he really is. The two have to carry Trial and Temptation and they do a very good job of keeping things moving.
As always in a series I would have liked to see more of the characters from book one but that did not keep me form enjoying adding Gregor and Val to the list of my favorite characters. The fact that this is primarily Gregor and Val’s story means that it functions well as a stand along story. I still recommend reading Mercenary Instinct first and after you finish these two you can move on to book three The Assassin’s Salvation.
August 19, 2020
I'm digging this series. Not just because it's about mercenaries in space (although that's a big part of the draw), but because these characters are so nicely flawed. Gregor has zero social skills and comes across as hard, arrogant, and overly obsessed with the rules. In reality, he simply can't relate to others with ease and has to rely on his flawed understanding of social cues when he interacts with them.
Man, I felt for the guy. For all he acts like a robot, he's well aware that his responses are something that get made fun of. And yet, he can't help it. He's responding the only way he knows how. I loved loved loved that moment of clarity Val had when she saw he wasn't trying to demean her or act arrogant, it was just the way he was.
Honestly, it isn't arrogance so much as Gregor has a very logical mind. He's extremely literal and he doesn't quite grasp how people don't say what they mean. To be fair, he holds himself to the same high standard he sets for those under him. Which means his attraction to Val throws his life into disarray because she doesn't fit into a neat box. She's sassy and makes sex jokes at inappropriate moments.
I kinda liked that about her.
I have a couple more books to go with this series and I'm loving on the crude, rude, yet honorable mercs making their living in space.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Man, I felt for the guy. For all he acts like a robot, he's well aware that his responses are something that get made fun of. And yet, he can't help it. He's responding the only way he knows how. I loved loved loved that moment of clarity Val had when she saw he wasn't trying to demean her or act arrogant, it was just the way he was.
Honestly, it isn't arrogance so much as Gregor has a very logical mind. He's extremely literal and he doesn't quite grasp how people don't say what they mean. To be fair, he holds himself to the same high standard he sets for those under him. Which means his attraction to Val throws his life into disarray because she doesn't fit into a neat box. She's sassy and makes sex jokes at inappropriate moments.
I kinda liked that about her.
I have a couple more books to go with this series and I'm loving on the crude, rude, yet honorable mercs making their living in space.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
May 11, 2016
3 stars.
This sci-fi romance was action packed with laser gun fights, fighter jets(?), and assassins. Furthermore, the novel was well written with clean prose. But what I liked most of all was that the hero was unique. It isn't often that a romance lead has a social mental disorder. (I suspect he has some degree of autism.) His genuine effort to try to interact with people made him very likeable, in my opinion, and memorable. The heroine, on the other hand, while some of her internal dialogue was amusing at first, grew somewhat boring later on in the story. Compared to the hero, she wasn't as interesting.
This is the first book that I've read in the series, and I'll look at the other books too.
This sci-fi romance was action packed with laser gun fights, fighter jets(?), and assassins. Furthermore, the novel was well written with clean prose. But what I liked most of all was that the hero was unique. It isn't often that a romance lead has a social mental disorder. (I suspect he has some degree of autism.) His genuine effort to try to interact with people made him very likeable, in my opinion, and memorable. The heroine, on the other hand, while some of her internal dialogue was amusing at first, grew somewhat boring later on in the story. Compared to the hero, she wasn't as interesting.
This is the first book that I've read in the series, and I'll look at the other books too.
October 2, 2016
Wow, egy nagyon érdekes főhőssel találkoztam ebben a könyvben. Bár nincs kimondva, a főhős nyilvánvalóan Asperger szindrómás, aki nem tudja megfejteni mások érzelmeit, nem is próbál hazudni, mert csak még jobban összezavarná ezzel saját, kicsi rendezett és logikus világát. Emellett zseniális pilóta és matematikus, aki tökéletesen tisztában van elszigetelt helyzetével, és hiányosságaival. Mindez pedig finom humorral megfogva remek karaktert eredményezett. Mikor át kell nézni egy csomó helyet, de az első a listában nem az, amit a hősnő és a logika javasol, hősünk zavarát hősnőnk finoman a lista átrendezésével megoldja.
A hősnő érzelmei túl gyorsan fordultak át, és a történet második felében az akciók nem igazán izgalmasak, de ez miatt csak egy csillag levonás jár.
A hősnő érzelmei túl gyorsan fordultak át, és a történet második felében az akciók nem igazán izgalmasak, de ez miatt csak egy csillag levonás jár.
July 2, 2016
This book was perfectly fine, but I enjoyed it slightly less than the first one of the series. While all of the elements that I previously enjoyed were there: funny dialogue/inner monologue, alternating third person povs, a slow burn romance, a steadfast and loyal H, and lack of ow/om drama, overly explicit intimate scenes and foul language, this story fell flat for me. Maybe it's because the H reminded me so much of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and his inner monologue was frustrating. It's strange that I'd find a book about mercenaries caught in a war zone boring, but there you have it. I kept looking for something else to read. I wish I liked this more.
September 7, 2015
Maybe closer to 2.5 stars, but I read this right off the heels of GAMES OF COMMAND, which I am fairly certain colored my view quite a bit. It didn't quite live up to expectations and wasn't as well written, which made it more of a tedious - rather than fun - read....(the insta-love on Val's part was also SO annoying to me sighs - I get regretting her misunderstanding of his behavior, but it switched into love just a bit too fast to be believable for me).
December 28, 2014
This is the second book in the series, I liked it a little more than the first. The characters were a little more engaging and I found myself rooting for them more. The plot was still intense with a lot of details and fighting. This series definitely feels like it's leaning more towards more science fiction than romance. I'm going to bench the series for a bit and come back to it.
May 21, 2015
A lot of people say they like this story better than Viktor and Ankira's. I felt that there was definitely more angst in Val and Gregor's story than the first.
I'll be interested to see how Yarrow's issues work out.
Basically, if you liked the Mandrake universe, you'll like this!
I'll be interested to see how Yarrow's issues work out.
Basically, if you liked the Mandrake universe, you'll like this!
June 5, 2015
My only complaint is I felt it was too short even though I know it is a full length novel I wanted more.
October 21, 2018
THIS BLURB WAS A RIP OFF. IT SOUNDED EXTREMELY INTERESTING AND ALL I GOT WAS A FLAT STORY. IT WAS LIKE EVERYTHING WAS TOO TONED DOWN, I DIDN'T GET MUCH HYPE FROM THE RELATIONSHIP...RATHER THE CONCEPT ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THE ACTION PART AND TERMINOLOGY FOR THE SETTING WAS INCREDIBLE.
FRANKLY, THIS WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER MOVIE THAN A INTIMATE BOOK.
OUR HERO reminds me very much of Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper. Except for the hot bod and the handsome face, his mannerisms, his intellect and the way he tackles problems and excels in his studies makes him close to perfect - a cold robot. I rather like characters like him because it's nice to see how the misunderstood, awkward man gets the girl and how it happens is oh so intriguing. There was that here...except it didn't reach my expectation. What would have made this better would be an ongoing, slow building sensual chemistry between the two. The story started off with me wondering WHEN we will get to the attraction to start. It did surprise me when the heroine suddenly kissed him when they were locked in freezer container...the mood just didn't call for that kind of abrupt romantic scene to be honest. While the kiss scenes were nice, the passion and attraction just ended along with it UNTIL the next one initiates again. The consistency of their emotions just didn't flow in my opinion, which is rather sad. As a character, I did like Gregor. I think he's like the hot nerd, and he's the kind of man I would want to be stranded with because he's resourceful with his quick mind I just want to jump his bones.
OUR HEROINE, I had a hard time liking. Frankly because she kept judging the hero (I know he deserved them but when you read about his thoughts...it just seemed unfair) and she's always so sarcastic towards him and basically not that loveable or cute....she seems kind of selfish too. I didn't think she was the right kind of character for a vulnerable man like Gregor. I don't mind that she seems more the hard ass and woman with her own mind...but she just appears like she's also constantly trying to prove herself and gahh...she just rubs me the wrong way. She's hot but to me she's not cute and endearing at all. All her actions just doesn't appear genuine.
OVERALL this would have been better if the heroine was acceptable to me, but I also wished there was a true chemistry and sexual tension that built right from the start and not hit me like a brick in the face a few chapters later.
FRANKLY, THIS WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER MOVIE THAN A INTIMATE BOOK.
OUR HERO reminds me very much of Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper. Except for the hot bod and the handsome face, his mannerisms, his intellect and the way he tackles problems and excels in his studies makes him close to perfect - a cold robot. I rather like characters like him because it's nice to see how the misunderstood, awkward man gets the girl and how it happens is oh so intriguing. There was that here...except it didn't reach my expectation. What would have made this better would be an ongoing, slow building sensual chemistry between the two. The story started off with me wondering WHEN we will get to the attraction to start. It did surprise me when the heroine suddenly kissed him when they were locked in freezer container...the mood just didn't call for that kind of abrupt romantic scene to be honest. While the kiss scenes were nice, the passion and attraction just ended along with it UNTIL the next one initiates again. The consistency of their emotions just didn't flow in my opinion, which is rather sad. As a character, I did like Gregor. I think he's like the hot nerd, and he's the kind of man I would want to be stranded with because he's resourceful with his quick mind I just want to jump his bones.
OUR HEROINE, I had a hard time liking. Frankly because she kept judging the hero (I know he deserved them but when you read about his thoughts...it just seemed unfair) and she's always so sarcastic towards him and basically not that loveable or cute....she seems kind of selfish too. I didn't think she was the right kind of character for a vulnerable man like Gregor. I don't mind that she seems more the hard ass and woman with her own mind...but she just appears like she's also constantly trying to prove herself and gahh...she just rubs me the wrong way. She's hot but to me she's not cute and endearing at all. All her actions just doesn't appear genuine.
OVERALL this would have been better if the heroine was acceptable to me, but I also wished there was a true chemistry and sexual tension that built right from the start and not hit me like a brick in the face a few chapters later.
May 25, 2017
What is not to love about this book??
This was another fun and action packed sci-fi adventure. Well written, it grabs you right from the start and takes you on this fast paced mission, with some awesome characters for company. I liked that this book focused on a different member of the Mandrake Company crew. Although we were introduced to some of them in the previous book, we didn't really get a chance to really get to know them. I think that Thatcher was a great character, especially with his social awkwardness. I thought that it made a nice change for the leading male love interest, to not be particularly comfortable or confident when it came to women, and for him to not be good in social situations. I thought that this really showed off the diversity among the characters. I also loved Val's characters, and feel that her character made a good contrast to Thatcher's. The combination of her confidence and Thatcher's difficulty in social issues, provided some good comedy moments.
This story had a really divers range of settings and characters, and each were created with their own individual feel to them. The writing overall had a great flow, and it never felt like the romance side of the story took over from the plot. I would highly recommend this to any science fiction lover; especially if you like a bit of romance thrown in. However I would suggest reading this series in order, as you'll have a better understanding of the world that this is set in, as well as some of the references made to the first book.
A really fun read!
This was another fun and action packed sci-fi adventure. Well written, it grabs you right from the start and takes you on this fast paced mission, with some awesome characters for company. I liked that this book focused on a different member of the Mandrake Company crew. Although we were introduced to some of them in the previous book, we didn't really get a chance to really get to know them. I think that Thatcher was a great character, especially with his social awkwardness. I thought that it made a nice change for the leading male love interest, to not be particularly comfortable or confident when it came to women, and for him to not be good in social situations. I thought that this really showed off the diversity among the characters. I also loved Val's characters, and feel that her character made a good contrast to Thatcher's. The combination of her confidence and Thatcher's difficulty in social issues, provided some good comedy moments.
This story had a really divers range of settings and characters, and each were created with their own individual feel to them. The writing overall had a great flow, and it never felt like the romance side of the story took over from the plot. I would highly recommend this to any science fiction lover; especially if you like a bit of romance thrown in. However I would suggest reading this series in order, as you'll have a better understanding of the world that this is set in, as well as some of the references made to the first book.
A really fun read!
May 8, 2025
Lol let’s just bite the bullet and write something—it was satisfactory stress relief, I guess…(and omg am I stressed), but certainly more poorly planned and written than the Emperor’s Edge. I was skeptical because the cover was, well, even MORE clickbaity than the first, but the actual story was very mild, thankfully. Though I probably won’t be picking up the next book, at least for a while.
It was fine overall—the plot sucked, and I found myself skimming large swaths of the novel. I didn’t care about rescuing Admiral Summers, nor of whatever assassinations were happening in the base, and I wish the author had taken a page out of Sanderson’s book and done a few more scenes on flight training and combat.
The romance between Val and Gregor was okay, although I would’ve preferred to see them meet on a more cerebral level in addition to just plain biology. Gregor was pretty adorable though, and I guess I’m drawn to neurodivergent characters—their struggles make them seem perfectly human. Val…was basically Ankari? But maybe with less confidence? I don’t know, I feel that you could’ve substituted any attractive cadet pilot lady and had the same story—I didn’t see why it was her character in particular that matched Gregor’s, and it seemed a little demeaning that he was obsessed with her mostly because of her assets.
Bahaha I’m so embarrassed to be caught reading something like this! Istg I’m reading non-degenerate stuff too, but can’t seem to finish any book in my stack of nonfiction/literary fiction.
It was fine overall—the plot sucked, and I found myself skimming large swaths of the novel. I didn’t care about rescuing Admiral Summers, nor of whatever assassinations were happening in the base, and I wish the author had taken a page out of Sanderson’s book and done a few more scenes on flight training and combat.
The romance between Val and Gregor was okay, although I would’ve preferred to see them meet on a more cerebral level in addition to just plain biology. Gregor was pretty adorable though, and I guess I’m drawn to neurodivergent characters—their struggles make them seem perfectly human. Val…was basically Ankari? But maybe with less confidence? I don’t know, I feel that you could’ve substituted any attractive cadet pilot lady and had the same story—I didn’t see why it was her character in particular that matched Gregor’s, and it seemed a little demeaning that he was obsessed with her mostly because of her assets.
Bahaha I’m so embarrassed to be caught reading something like this! Istg I’m reading non-degenerate stuff too, but can’t seem to finish any book in my stack of nonfiction/literary fiction.
May 25, 2023
Another very fun couple to get to know! I thought the speed with which Val warmed up to Gregor was a little fast, given that she had spent the last 10 years basically hating his guts. But the banter between them, the awkward interactions from Gregor and Val's teasing, were adorable. I really liked Gregor. Val was less fun as a heroine than Ankari was in the first book; she spent a lot of time feeling self-conscious about her piloting abilities. The plot in this one was a little thin, and the conflict at the end was kind of out of nowhere. But the situations that Val and Gregor ended up in and the way that they worked together in symphony were very satisfying to read.
"If they've linked us to the kidnapping, we may face aerial resistance when we leave," Gregor said.
"It's somewhat alarming that you sound excited by that," Val said.
"I am a combat pilot."
"Did you just break free from the airlock with the clamps still attached? That is not the technique you taught us in the academy."
"Due to the impound, the station automation refused to acknowledge the command to release the craft. I was forced to employ unsanctioned departure techniques." He sounded excited by that too.
"Crazy bastard," Val muttered...
November 18, 2017
Val and Gregor were just an awesome couple. I so love the super smart guy who is confident in his own intelligence, but woefully ignorant when it comes to social interactions. She writes these types of characters so well. Gregor reminded me of at least one of her more recent characters so I knew I was in for a treat.
The background story of the war going on was a nice touch—the admiral was a jerkface however. I mentioned this in my review for the third book, but I’ll mention it hear too. The crap he tried to pull with Val seemed more poignant because of the current events. I always think something like that is despicable, but it is even more so in this story. Simply because a person has position due to money, fame, politics, or whatever doesn’t give them leave to act like that. It has been something that has been known for the longest time … but it just seems different right now. I wonder how this book will hold up in a few years with a situation like that.
I adored seeing how Val and Gregor got together and seeing how their assumptions were just that and how they altered things to work for the other person. Yay for lists~ lol
The background story of the war going on was a nice touch—the admiral was a jerkface however. I mentioned this in my review for the third book, but I’ll mention it hear too. The crap he tried to pull with Val seemed more poignant because of the current events. I always think something like that is despicable, but it is even more so in this story. Simply because a person has position due to money, fame, politics, or whatever doesn’t give them leave to act like that. It has been something that has been known for the longest time … but it just seems different right now. I wonder how this book will hold up in a few years with a situation like that.
I adored seeing how Val and Gregor got together and seeing how their assumptions were just that and how they altered things to work for the other person. Yay for lists~ lol
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