A war is brewing between the rebel forces I lead and the prince whose crown should belong to me. Except, instead of preparing to fight, I’m distracted by the arrival of the human brides. Or rather, by one of them. After a chance encounter, I can’t stop thinking about her.
When I spot Olivia walking with another male, the mating fever scorches my veins and the beast in my head roars “MINE.” A possessive impulse strikes, and I take her, hiding us away within the rainforest where the rebel camp lies.
Olivia
Good things never come to those of us in the bottom tier. Not even being chosen in a bridal lottery and bound for an advanced alien planet. Nothing’s changed despite no longer being on Earth, because nobody mentioned the impending war on Bohna.
When the rebel leader takes me captive, my intentions are to make his life miserable. What I don’t count on is how much I enjoy verbally sparring with him. Or the spark of attraction that grows with each passing day. The longer I’m around Janik, the more I realize someone’s been lying to us…about everything.
Now I have to decide who to believe and if I should actually trust the rebel outlaw. Especially with my heart.
Erin Hale resides in the South where the summer humidity sucks the breath right out of you. She’s mom to the best dog on the planet. In her free time, she enjoys reading about swoon-worthy aliens (and secretly wishes one would land on Earth) and monsters alike. She also loves traveling the globe and can be seen most often in any of the pubs in the UK—where the weather is much more acceptable—with a raspberry gin and lemonade in hand.
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Readability: 📖📖📖📖 Feels: 🦋🦋🦋 Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ Romance: 💞💞💞 Sensuality: 💋💋💋 Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 Humor: Yes, a bit Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine More character focused or plot focused? maybe plot? How did the speed of the story feel? medium When mains are first on page together: almost immediately (chapter 1) Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after Epilogue: No Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form Why I chose this book: I was sent an ARC from the authors team and was really curious about this new series Mains: Janik and Olivia – This is a M/F relationship between an alien hero and human heroine (Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order? I didn’t read book 1 in the series and it’s probably best to read that one first? I have read some of her other series (Warriors of Tavikh) that seems to have a very light cross over (I think I remember one of the Bohnari coming to the planet for trade, but nothing lengthy). I did feel like this one referenced some things that happened in book 1 and the mains met in the prior book so I wish I had started there.
Basic plot: Janik makes the decision to kidnap his heart’s fire when the opportunity arises...
Give this a try if you want: - science fiction romance - alien setting - bridal lottery – twenty humans were chosen for brides for the alien planet Bohna - animosity (from her) to lovers - fated mates - kidnapped heroine - this series is a bit higher tech than her Tavikh series – theres villages and a palace and they have communication devices to talk/order food/ etc - he smells like cinnamon and vanilla - pets(ish) – Janik has an alien wolf creature that also bonds with Olivia - lower steam – 1 full scene at the end of the book
Ages: - didn’t catch either
First line: I’ve never been to an actual wedding before, and definitely not one held in a palace.
My thoughts: ARGH I am so mad I didn’t read book 1 and get the first meeting. This is why I usually don’t love second chance because I feel thrown in a story and I whiny about missing some of my favorite parts. So I’m not sure how in detail you get their first meeting in book 1 but it doesn’t happen in this novel.
I think I like this planet and plot more than the prior Warrior’s of Tavikh. I felt like Hale’s writing is getting better and better and this book felt more pulled together than some of the other’s I’ve read. I loved the first half and it had a lot that I favor in romance. It did dwindle a bit for me because they were separated for a long part of the book with a decent amount of action in the latter half so the romance fizzled a bit. Still I think I’m going to go back and read book 1 of this series because I think I could really like it!
Few random reading stats for this author # of books read: 8 Average rating from me: 4.25 stars Favorite book: Fated to the Lost Warrior
Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:
Quotes/thoughts: (Any mistakes are my own)
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdowns mean, where to find me, and book clubs
Full break down on what my ratings above mean here: Overall: How I felt about it everything considered! Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.) Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?) Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story? Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch. Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective. Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgment (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (5) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio! Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)
4.25 stars. This story is dual POV, well written, and a fast-paced, sweet and steamy, enemies to lovers, fated mates, male alien rebel leader (Janik)/female human (Olivia), sci fi romance. I enjoyed the banter between the lead characters and the way that playful bickering remained part of their relationship throughout the story. I enjoyed Janik’s confusion over his unexpected attraction to Olivia. I also enjoyed Janik’s principles, even as he fought against his people’s monarchy. I enjoyed Olivia’s willingness to take chances and to speak truth to Janik. I enjoyed that she advocated for the benefit of both sides as opportunity arose. I enjoyed the relationship development. I enjoyed Janik’s animal companion. I enjoyed the building intimacy that reflected the developing relationship. I enjoyed the non-romance plot and am looking forward to the next story to see it continue to unfold.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.
I was really looking forward to this one after enjoying another Erin Hale book, and it was such a good ride from start to finish. Even though I didn’t read the first book in this series, I had no trouble following along. I loved that characters from book one popped up here too—it made the world feel more connected and gave the story an extra layer. Now I definitely feel like I need to go back and read the first book because this one was such a good time.
The romance was great. There’s plenty of banter between the two, with her not afraid to call him out when he got too full of himself, which made their dynamic that much more fun. He’s very sure of himself (or “confident” as he’d put it), and she knew exactly how to handle that side of him.
I also liked how the fated mates trope was handled. It was there, but it wasn’t over the top—it had its own unique twist that worked nicely for the story. On top of the romance, there was a little mystery and intrigue woven in, which gave the book something extra beyond just the relationship.
The pacing wasn’t the kind where I felt glued to the pages, but it was a steady, enjoyable read all the way through. I closed the book feeling satisfied and happy I spent time in this world.
Big thanks to Erin Hale for the ARC—I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series.
What a wonderful story! It felt so good to be back in the world of the Bohnari. Olivia is as sassy and strong-willed… her humour and good heart shine through on every page. Janik, the rebel heartthrob, is impossible not to fall for, and together they make such a sweet couple.
The stakes are rising with the rebellion growing more dangerous, and you can feel the tension building as trouble brews. I’m completely hooked and can’t wait to see where this series goes next!
I’m grateful to have received an arc copy of this book. I would’ve read it anyway, so it’s just a bonus to read it early. I adore everything Erin Hale writes. I can’t wait to return to the worlds she’s created! 🖤
Ok so right away the book starts off stupid. If Janik usually plays this game with his pet pooch, why did he take out a blaster gun and look all serious with his need to protect Olivia? No, this is clearly the author going "You know what would be cool? Yeah, I'm gonna take that part with the dogo and make it another thing completely because wouldn't it be fun if he had a dogo?". Seriously, it doesn't even make sense because he doesn't refer to the wolf by name on his POV, which means the author changed her mind to make shit stupid. I would've believed it more had she just not used Janik's POV at all when she introduced the wolf into the scene because his POV just makes it worse, especially since he doesn't even call the wolf by her name in his thoughts, making it seem like he actually thought the wolf was a threat.
Then again, I shouldn't be surprised by the above as the author even forgot how to spell Devon's name, calling her Davon instead.
Another thing, the way she did Alik's father dirty pissed me off. Not only did she ruin his legacy, or the fact that the Queen was his heart's fire (confirmed to be the equivalent of a fated mate), but she also did the male Bohnari dirty as a whole. In the first book it's mentioned they would never hurt a female, period and yet in this book Janik's mother was assaulted by Alik's father. Not only that but Horek also accuses Janik of touching Olivia like that too when he finds Horek that she helped with his mating heat. Again, shouldn't be surprised by any of this considering the amount of times this author changes things in her books (quite a few with her other two series that haven't been consistent).
On a side note, if that plant is the key to them not going mad, why don't they move to the other planet? Especially seeing as they cannot cultivate it on their own planet - even with all their technology, which is odd. I mean what really matters to them? The mine of whatever minerals they have? Why not just have an outpost on Bohna then? Keep the majority of their people on Tahvik (or whatever the other planet is called from her other series). I mean it's a whole damn planet that I'm sure there is enough room for them to move there if they've been dying out.
And while I can appreciate the author's little "twist" a la predictable Tangled, the fact that she still did Alik wrong is upsetting. Why did she have to introduce Alik just to lock him up later on because she has a spare prince laying around? I guess we won't know until maybe the next book or the book after. At least Alik's dad didn't do what Janik's "mother" said he did. I have a feeling though, that Horek's mom is somehow involved in all of this. I don't know why, maybe because of how she reacted to the humans as well as being a huge bitch? The lame excuse about Alik's father being off world at the time (and already mated, I think) was the worst conclusion to the "who done it" part of the story. Does that mean that the men will, in fact, go mad with the mating fever and rape someone? Because that is something worth discussing when these women have a pow wow instead of just gossiping about unimportant stuff.
I hope, like really, REALLY hope that either Devon or Lindsey end up being Alik's mate and save him from the mating madness. I'm guessing it would be more Lindsey maybe than Devon though since Alik didn't seem to react to Devon when she walked in with Olivia earlier, but if it ends up being Geneva... Yeah, that will be the end of the series for me.
Anyway, back to the story. I guess a 3 ⭐ because I did really like Janik and Mak. I also liked Olivia for the most part but she did get to be a bit annoying sometimes. And it also didn't make sense that Janik walked away without so much as a slap on the wrist, while every other rebel had to be punished. Lastly, I don't think either Janik or Olivia are good choices to be rulers. Neither have the mindset to see the bigger picture, or an even temperament.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved, loved Olivia and Janik’s heartwarming, alien-human, fated mates, healing romance with a side of intrigue and suspense. In fact I gobbled up this delicious story in one sitting. It had a great balance of humor, love, real life issues, painful pasts, light suspense, danger and spice. The Bohnari race has a lack of female births and as a result, they form a treaty with Earth for willing brides from the bottom tier. Olivia is an outspoken human who traveled to the planet of Bohna to marry an alien. Janik is an arrogant Bohnari and the leader of the rebels. He is suffering from mating fever and it calls him to Olivia. Things turn complicated when Janik kidnaps Olivia when she is walking near another male and he brings her to the rebel camp. They discover all is not as it appears and someone has been lying but the question is who. Now they just need to unravel the mystery while dealing with Janik’s mating fever and the increasing danger. This well written story included engaging dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, good world building, and a captivating storyline. This is book two in the series and Olivia and Janik initially meet in book one. And while their love story is resolved, there are unanswered questions that are spoilery and relate to an overreaching series story arc. This means to get the most out of the book and the series, the books should be read in order. 4.5 stars.
There were so many twists and turns in this book; it felt like going into a haunted house on Halloween. If you thought the first book in this series was amazing, I am sure you will love this one even more!
Janik was never looking for a mate. All he wanted was his rightful stolen place on the throne. He led his rebellion through the years without any casualties, but that soon changed, and many people he thought he could trust started to leave him out of what he thought were the finalized plans.
Janik had already met Olivia in the first book in this series, and he came off as mister cocky and self-absorbed when she first met him. She also spoke this directly to his face, leading him to feel off kilter and mesmerized by the way she spoke her mind. Their banter with one another really made the book for me, it was quite entertaining.
Their second meeting wasn’t all better. Janik kidnaps Olivia, and their relationship progresses from there. Now take this statement like a grain of rice in a bag full of it. This book has so many levels; if you thought you figured out the whole plot, think again.
I enjoyed every bit of Janik and Olivia’s story, and I cannot wait to see what else this series will bring!
Danger, banter, intrigue, passion, and two MCs who test and challenge each other at every turn.
Janik is fierce, commanding, arrogant (or confident depending on who you ask), and consumed by his mission... until he crosses paths with Olivia. With her, he is protective, vulnerable, and almost undone by his need for her. His possessive instincts won’t let him walk away.
Olivia is sassy and resilient; she’s learned to expect disappointment, but she refuses to be broken by it. She doesn’t cower or give in; instead, she pushes back, fights with sharp wit, and meets Janik’s intensity without fear or backing down. Their verbal sparring is electric, humorous, and steamy; it’s impossible not to root for them as a couple.
What begins as a captive "guest" and captor evolves into trust, passion, and a bond far deeper than either imagined. Together, they uncover difficult truths and find more questions that continue the overarching storyline of the series. Their chemistry crackles, their banter is irresistible, and the emotional payoff is worth the ride.
If you've ever thought to yourself that you'd like to read about an alien rebel with a Han Solo attitude, boy do I have good news for you.
Genre: Sci-fi Romance ⭐️ 3.75/5 🌶 2/5 🧠 3/10 Cliffhanger: 0/10 Noteworthy: Book 2 of an incomplete series of interconnected standalones. Overarching plot with open storylines. Dual first-person POV. Available on KU.
The MMC Janik is so full of humor, arrogance and sass that it's impossible not to like him. The FMC Olivia is no slouch in this story. She's strong and refuses to be ignored or stuffed into a corner. This continuation of the rebellion storyline from book 1 will keep your attention as you're trying to work through the little clues provided. As with the last book, it could have been longer and gone more in depth with so much. It appears the open storylines will continue in the next book but for me, this book would have felt more complete and fulfilling if some of those scenes were in this book.
Make no mistake, I will read whatever Erin writes and I wholeheartedly recommend you try this series and her backlog.
Well ladies Erin has done it again!! This story is breathtaking, keeps you on your toes, the laughter and romance keeps you totally engaged. I loved every single page and moment I got to spend with these two people. Olivia and her sassiness is an absolute match with Janik and his cockiness. These two when they come together sparks fly. The action is non-stop and surprises around every corner I loved how we are kept on our toes in this story never able to guess which way it is going to go. The way it is ended you so can't wait for the next book to continue the story, and find out what more Erin has in store for us. I love how this series is nothing like the Warriors of Tavikh books and the Bohnari have their own story to tell. I love that they don't lean on another series. Get ready to be taken on an amazing adventure and be prepare to not want to put that book down till you have read it all from start to finish. This is a must read!! You won't be disappointed!!!
If there is one thing I have learned about Erin Hale as an author is that there is never a shortage of handsome, devoted, and highly motivated men in the worlds that she builds. Taming the Alien Outlaw is no exception!
In this second installment of her Brides of Bohnari series we get to see the chemistry sizzle between Olivia and Janik. Hear me out, if you love banter of the sassy variety and characters who are unapologetically themselves this book is for you!
Piggy backing off the events in book one, the second book let's us into more of whats going on with the rebellion and what and what is the driving force behind it. In the midst of Olivia and Janik trying to balance the chemical equation of their relationship dynamic there are whole slew of other variables being thrown their way. Be ready for plot twists!
Taming the Alien Outlaw is book two of the Brides of the Bohnari Series.
Janik and Olivia have a lot of heat between them. They are semi enemies and Olivia feels she can't trust him fully. But there is something which connects them on a deeper level. I loved seeing these two interact and try to fight their feelings for the other. Janik has been left in the dark about a few things and when it comes to light he doesn't hesitate to act on how he is feeling for Olivia. They chemistry between these two was off the charts.
We get some behind the scenes knowledge and view the manipulation which is taking place behind everyone's back. Finally some secrets and truths are revealed which level out the story. Great read!
I'm really enjoying how this author keeps building up the universe she has created. The Tavikhi, the Krijese, and the Bohnari are all very different people. The MMCs behave differently. The Tavikhi males are somewhat formal and always kind in their speaking. The Bohnari seem more angry and sometimes provoking. The author does well at explaining the cultural and biological reasons for these differences.
The MMC starts out as a bit of an ass but he learns,
“How could I be unhappy with having such a beautiful, smart, stubborn mate who will always challenge me and drive me mad, but who will also never bore me or let me get away with being an asshole?”
The MFC has the right amount of sass and courage to keep him in line.
I absolutely devoured this book. Janik caught my attention as soon as he showed up in the first book of this series, and I'm so glad his book was next. And he did not disappoint! Janik and Olivia are officially my favorite couple this author has written.
Janik is the perfect arrogant, I mean confident, MMC who is possessive about the lady that caught his eye. Even though he doesn't understand why he feels that way about her. Olivia is sassy and fierce and refuses to let anyone push her around.
And I can't forget the MVP of the book...Mak! Romance books are always better with an adorable animal companion that knows two people are destined to fall in love before they do.
The second book in the Brides of Bohnari series is now available and dare I say it is way better than the first? I love myself a morally grey outlaw and this MMC delivers exactly that. This story has a lot of deception and lies between the Outlaws and the MMC who happens to be the face of their community. The FMC is his hearts fire and he discovers this after kidnapping her 😩💕 I love how the MMC and FMC work together to help prove the MMC innocent. If you love a sci-fi romance you’re going to love this series! I cannot wait for the next book and see who the next couple is!
This is another fab read for the series and I loved the heartwarming romance to it but also the humour. Olivia is used to get the wrong end of the stick and it's no different on Bohna. Or is it? Rebel leader Janik is struck by his obsession with Olivia and realizes she's his mate. A wee kidnapping later, and these two are hitting the banter perfectly ;) What follows is a sweet and steamy romance for them that ends in a fab HEA. However, you definitely will find yourself glued to your reader with the danger, suspense, intrigue, healing and love. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait for the next book :D
Taming the Alien Outlaw by Erin Hale is the second installment in the Brides of Bohnari series. This is a well written sci-fi romance with elements of suspense, intrigue and of course, some steam. Olivia and Janik are a feisty, funny and wonderful couple! This is a standalone within a larger series, but the overarching storyline will draw you in and leave you wanting more. I also love a book with a great animal companion and Mak does not disappoint. I cannot wait to see who meets their heartsfire next and learn more about the Bohnari!
Erin does it again! Another well done alien romance, this time with a twist!
Our FMC is a volunteer bride from earth and is ready to find her heart’s fire. She just didn’t realize it would be with the enemy of the crown.
Our MMC is the leader of the rebels whom we meet in the first book. His whole goal is to reclaim the crown that he thinks is rightfully his.
When they meet again for the second time, she is traveling back to her apartment for a wedding gift and her guard gets into a scuffle with our MMC and his back up. He winds up kidnapping her and takes her back to the village. While there, they are confronted with feelings that neither one of them understand or are ready to explore. In fact, our alien outlaw hero has never heard of the term Heartsfire.
The end of the book left me with questions that I hope to get answered in the following books, but it was really nice to see their love story and how while he might have done bad things it might not have been all his doing.
I really enjoyed it and while it could absolutely be read as a standalone I think that you would get more out of it if you read them in order. I will totally be reading the next one.
Erin Hale's series Brides of the Bohnari book 2 is Taming the Alien Outlaw. Olivia has joined other lower tier human women to become brides of the Bohnari. She is kidnapped by one of the rebels who claims to be the rightful prince and is able to calm his mating rage before being released. She is his heart's fire, though he doesn't discover this til later. Come to find out, he truly is a prince, just not in the way his mother claimed! Love this series!
All that Olivia wants is a new life,be wife and mother far from the struggles of Earth's low tier. One look at her and Janik feels the mating fever scorching in his veins and he takes her.... Not everything is what seems ,there are uncovered secrets and veiled enemies lurking in the shadows. One more excelent addiction to this series. Their interactions, the banter and chemistry are explosive and absolutely delicious. Highly recomend!
Been waiting for Book 2 for far too long…or at least it felt that way, lol! But finally we have the next book in the series and it was worth the wait in my opinion. A fun read with a cliffhanger ending. It was surprising though that this book was about Janick who almost seemed like a minor character in the first book. What a surprise and mystery he turned out to be though. I’m hoping that more of his background will be forthcoming in the next installments.
I received an ARC for this book and am so grateful for the opportunity to read it before it’s released.
Erin Hale never disappoints. Olivia and Janik are a wonderful duo. They have great banter and the chemistry jumps off the page. This book had a great storyline that twisted and turned in all the right ways!
It was a slow burn with a little spice. A lot of giggles and gasps.
Ooh wee! Such an exciting book and awesome story! I adored the rebel Jannik in the first book and I like him even more now. The back and forth banter between him and Olivia was hilarious. And his backstory was awful. I did not see that revelation coming so good job Erin Hale! I loved it.
This was a great story. I have been waiting to read Janek's story and this did not disappoint. Janek's is a wonderful character! Olivia is the perfect foil to his brassy confidence. Now we need to find his "mother" before she causes anymore angst and destruction. Wow!
I love this world and the Bohnari! Olivia and Janik were so good together. I can’t wait to see where this story is going!
I received a copy of Taming the Alien Outlaw from the author, Erin Hale, and I am leaving this (very late, sorry!) review voluntarily. Thank you for the chance to read and review this book!
The more I read of Erin Hale’s Tavikh/Bohnari/Krijese world, the more I fall in love. I’m almost finished with the entire original series and both spin offs (9 books in Warriors of Tavikh, 2 books in Bohnari Brides, 1 Krijese book). Honestly, for shorts books (180-230 pages) the vibes are immaculate.
Taming the Alien Outlaw: Brides of the Bohnari Book 2
Great book. Lots of action. Great characters. Cute couple. Believable storyline. I guessed the ending but it was great getting there. I was hoping there would be a bit more to the story. Maybe the next book will cover the Prince and what happens after the rebels attack. Stories should be read in order. Kathy