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Rix Universe #3
Seven Oars
Rosamma always thought sneaking off her home planet was a bad idea.
Still, she follows her brother and a group of hopeful women to space, drawn by the promise of a brighter future. The Rix defenders escorting them are strong, capable, and entirely indifferent to their fate.
One of them is exactly what dreams are made of… but dreams are fragile, and life is not always fair.
Pirates strike without warning. In the blink of an eye, Rosamma and her companions are imprisoned aboard Seven Oars, a hulking, decrepit space station ruled by violent aliens. As they drift deeper into the void, loyalties fray, spirits fracture, and even the hardest of men crack under pressure.
Yet, Rosamma refuses to give in to cruelty and despair. Using her unique healing gift, she becomes a lifeline to a Rix with a heart colder than starlight.
But when her time runs out, will he doom her to darkness—or make her last dream come true?
Still, she follows her brother and a group of hopeful women to space, drawn by the promise of a brighter future. The Rix defenders escorting them are strong, capable, and entirely indifferent to their fate.
One of them is exactly what dreams are made of… but dreams are fragile, and life is not always fair.
Pirates strike without warning. In the blink of an eye, Rosamma and her companions are imprisoned aboard Seven Oars, a hulking, decrepit space station ruled by violent aliens. As they drift deeper into the void, loyalties fray, spirits fracture, and even the hardest of men crack under pressure.
Yet, Rosamma refuses to give in to cruelty and despair. Using her unique healing gift, she becomes a lifeline to a Rix with a heart colder than starlight.
But when her time runs out, will he doom her to darkness—or make her last dream come true?
455 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2025
18 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
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September 14, 2025I should just accept that Homebound is never going to happen again. I keep hoping it will, but it won’t. I think the author’s headspace is simply too dark. I go in expecting love stories, but what I get is angst. And then more angst. And more again.
I hate it. Life can already be like this, why would I want to read about it on top of everything else? No, thank you. Out of respect, I’m not going to rate this book, but I will say this: it’s a sad story, with a bittersweet open ending, and some scenes that are genuinely horrible to get through.
If you thrive on bleakness, emotional punishment and realness in fiction, maybe this will be for you. But if, like me, you were hoping for love, healing, or even just light in the darkness in an alien romance book, you won’t find it here.
I hate it. Life can already be like this, why would I want to read about it on top of everything else? No, thank you. Out of respect, I’m not going to rate this book, but I will say this: it’s a sad story, with a bittersweet open ending, and some scenes that are genuinely horrible to get through.
If you thrive on bleakness, emotional punishment and realness in fiction, maybe this will be for you. But if, like me, you were hoping for love, healing, or even just light in the darkness in an alien romance book, you won’t find it here.
September 7, 2025
Like another reviewer posted this is not Homebound. Nor is it anywhere near the brilliance that Homebound was. That is disappointing.
This book, despite its length felt like it needed so much more. There were plot holes, scenes that went nowhere, tons of opportunities for growth and yet we get none of that. It read like it was a handful of scenes tossed together and then repeated.
The only plus in this book is the MMC wasn't Lyle. I hated Lyle and Cricket's book. It felt like such a letdown as book 2 in the Rix Universe.
Book 3 is also a letdown for me. The violence and death was bad. One scene in particular was bad and then got glossed over so much that it made me want to toss the book aside. If you're going to put that type of scene in a book then at least do it justice and show the aftermath and give us a glimpse of light.
Overall another disappointing addition to a series that started with a bang and had such amazing promise.
At this point I really don't think I'll read another book by this author.
This book, despite its length felt like it needed so much more. There were plot holes, scenes that went nowhere, tons of opportunities for growth and yet we get none of that. It read like it was a handful of scenes tossed together and then repeated.
The only plus in this book is the MMC wasn't Lyle. I hated Lyle and Cricket's book. It felt like such a letdown as book 2 in the Rix Universe.
Book 3 is also a letdown for me. The violence and death was bad. One scene in particular was bad and then got glossed over so much that it made me want to toss the book aside. If you're going to put that type of scene in a book then at least do it justice and show the aftermath and give us a glimpse of light.
Overall another disappointing addition to a series that started with a bang and had such amazing promise.
At this point I really don't think I'll read another book by this author.
September 5, 2025
Keep them coming!
I practically ran for the buy now button when I saw another Rix book was out. I ended up staying up all night reading it because I could not put it down. Absolutely worth it. I already want to read it again. I thought Rosamma is going to have a tough road winning over Phex but then the story took a quick turn I did not see coming and I loved it! You don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy this one but I highly recommend you do so just because they’re so good. Especially Homebound though I may be prejudiced as it’s my favorite and I reread it often. It will also help with better understanding of the mention of the previous books characters which I also enjoy getting glimpses into how their lives are going. So hit the buy button and enjoy the ride. I really hope there will be many more in the Rix Universe!
I practically ran for the buy now button when I saw another Rix book was out. I ended up staying up all night reading it because I could not put it down. Absolutely worth it. I already want to read it again. I thought Rosamma is going to have a tough road winning over Phex but then the story took a quick turn I did not see coming and I loved it! You don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy this one but I highly recommend you do so just because they’re so good. Especially Homebound though I may be prejudiced as it’s my favorite and I reread it often. It will also help with better understanding of the mention of the previous books characters which I also enjoy getting glimpses into how their lives are going. So hit the buy button and enjoy the ride. I really hope there will be many more in the Rix Universe!
Read
September 9, 2025This was too angsty and dark for me.
I was hoping for another Homebound. I miss Simon and Gemma.
I was hoping for another Homebound. I miss Simon and Gemma.
November 29, 2025
“YOUR WEAKNESS FEEDS MY STRENGTH”
*First all I must warn all reviewers to be careful of giving away the plot in spoilers. The blurb is smart and I really loved being pleasantly surprised by the turn of events.
So the Rix defenders and the women from book 2 are captured by pirates. Most of the story takes place at the spaceport they are housed in called, Seven Oars.
Setting. Sense of direction and locations of rooms are established from early making everything feel lived in. The space station is in decline and a threat to everyone, that creates an extra layer of dread and foreboding.
The violence, the abuse. It is a lot. But. All have a point: to distract, to control, to reinforce power, a reason for breakdowns to force growth.
Character. Every single character is well written. There are enough crumbs of their mental states, their history, their family life, their dreams and ambitions that I feel like I know these people and I understand why they do the things they do. From the defenders to the women to the pirates.
Plot. This is a story of how you break two people. Just in two extremely different ways. It’s very dark and very sad and very emotional. In the middle of all that are these women finding different types of relationships to survive. In the middle of that is a romance with Rosamma—I couldn’t really pinpoint the beginning of the romance but it becomes stronger each scene they spend together. The hero has the charm of Lyle and the stoicism of Simon. He is great.
The romance as usual feels like romance. Slow to build intimate moments, silent observations, pain and vulnerability that stack up to create a full relationship. And their ending is just so sweet. It feels like the closing of a circle.
All of it? Beyond fantastic.
The only reason it’s not five stars it’s because I think the MFCs character arc could have been stronger and more obvious. A couple of scenes feel long and the days at the station do become repetitive at some points. I don’t like unnecessarily long things that could be edited down to get the exact same effect. A pit peeve of mine.
In terms of its place in the trilogy it’s number one. Yep yep yep. Just slightly above Homebound. The story of shifting power plays beside this romance is just too well done to ignore.
Side note: simon was so wrong for sending phex to transport these women in a plane with no defences. that made me question his leadership skills and i don’t like that for him.
Side side note: i LOVE how rix don’t really understand human emotions. they are like animals in that way: they never feel sorry for themselves. This world is amazing. I don’t know if this is the final book, but there’s so much more to talk about if it isn’t. a ruling class is mentioned and so is lineage and families of distinction so enzomora seems like it could be a monarchic society, which would be so interesting if it was and i would love to see what rix females look like. this series could go on and on and on I WOULD READ EVERY BOOK LYDIA. Every Book.
I can’t wait to reread this !
——
I did re-read this. The flaws I saw before, not big enough to remove a star. Moving this from 4 to 5 stars.
*First all I must warn all reviewers to be careful of giving away the plot in spoilers. The blurb is smart and I really loved being pleasantly surprised by the turn of events.
So the Rix defenders and the women from book 2 are captured by pirates. Most of the story takes place at the spaceport they are housed in called, Seven Oars.
Setting. Sense of direction and locations of rooms are established from early making everything feel lived in. The space station is in decline and a threat to everyone, that creates an extra layer of dread and foreboding.
The violence, the abuse. It is a lot. But. All have a point: to distract, to control, to reinforce power, a reason for breakdowns to force growth.
Character. Every single character is well written. There are enough crumbs of their mental states, their history, their family life, their dreams and ambitions that I feel like I know these people and I understand why they do the things they do. From the defenders to the women to the pirates.
Plot. This is a story of how you break two people. Just in two extremely different ways. It’s very dark and very sad and very emotional. In the middle of all that are these women finding different types of relationships to survive. In the middle of that is a romance with Rosamma—I couldn’t really pinpoint the beginning of the romance but it becomes stronger each scene they spend together. The hero has the charm of Lyle and the stoicism of Simon. He is great.
The romance as usual feels like romance. Slow to build intimate moments, silent observations, pain and vulnerability that stack up to create a full relationship. And their ending is just so sweet. It feels like the closing of a circle.
All of it? Beyond fantastic.
The only reason it’s not five stars it’s because I think the MFCs character arc could have been stronger and more obvious. A couple of scenes feel long and the days at the station do become repetitive at some points. I don’t like unnecessarily long things that could be edited down to get the exact same effect. A pit peeve of mine.
In terms of its place in the trilogy it’s number one. Yep yep yep. Just slightly above Homebound. The story of shifting power plays beside this romance is just too well done to ignore.
Side note: simon was so wrong for sending phex to transport these women in a plane with no defences. that made me question his leadership skills and i don’t like that for him.
Side side note: i LOVE how rix don’t really understand human emotions. they are like animals in that way: they never feel sorry for themselves. This world is amazing. I don’t know if this is the final book, but there’s so much more to talk about if it isn’t. a ruling class is mentioned and so is lineage and families of distinction so enzomora seems like it could be a monarchic society, which would be so interesting if it was and i would love to see what rix females look like. this series could go on and on and on I WOULD READ EVERY BOOK LYDIA. Every Book.
I can’t wait to reread this !
——
I did re-read this. The flaws I saw before, not big enough to remove a star. Moving this from 4 to 5 stars.
September 11, 2025
I really like this author. This book is dark but I like dark. I gave it 5 stars because I love the rix universe and I can see myself rereading it already but there was something missing. I like when there's some human quirk or ingenuity that saves the day. I felt like Rosamma was just pulled along with the tide rather than affecting the plot in any significant way.
September 13, 2025
Holy mother of all things, this is bleak. Almost at Last Hour of Gann on the scale.
Girl is en route to her new life, sans essential brother, when her ship is taken over by pirates. The pirates are pretty rubbish at being pirates, but they are despicable and shenanigans ensue, most of them horrible.
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Plot
The plot follows Rosamma, a minor character in the second book, as she plans to head off into the sky following the big heist. Circumstances mean her brother can't join her straight away, so she has to take a chance with some exceptional grumpy Rix defenders and a group of woman who are both terrible and annoying. As expected, the group are swiftly hijacked by literally the worst pirates ever - they're a band of unruly Rix (plus a few extras) whose only goal in life is to get drunk and/or high and kill and/or screw everything around them. They have zero intention of actually keeping any hostages and the woman are left to fend for themselves, as long as they stay in their section of the ship.
The pacing is pretty quick, there's a few grammatical errors and there's a smattering of continuity mistakes that left me ready back and forth to try and straighten the story out. However, none of this matter too much to me and I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, even if some of it made me incredibly uncomfortable.
Characters
FMC
I really like Rosamma. I liked her as a side character in Sky Song, and I'm so glad we get to know her better in this story. She's a relatively simple person, albeit with some nifty healy juju, but I actually liked having a 'normal-ish' lead for a change. There's nothing special about her besides the healing business; she's not particularly smart, she's definitely not athletic and she's kinda average looking. However, it's her actions as the story progresses that I like - she attempts to hold the entire team together despite the odds, becoming a sort of advocate and spokes person between the women and the pirates, trying to help out whenever she can.
MMC
As MMC's go, he's the worst. Like literally, the worst. There are few redeeming qualities about this guy, but still somehow this worked. I really enjoyed learning about his backstory and how he got where he is - I really liked the balance between him being a terrible person, but just 'enough' of a terrible person because he's stuck in a situation he just cannot get himself out of.
The Rest
The women - are mostly awful. They remind me so much of the humans in Last Hour of Gann, bar a few nice characters. Even the kid could have been entirely written out of the plot and that might have improved things.
Phex - I wasn't sure what was going to happen to this character, but the story we got definitely wasn't what I was expecting.
The Chemistry
I actually really liked the chemistry between the two of them - it's a very slow start, rightfully so, but the buildup and yearning was excellent.
The Good
I really enjoyed the themes of perseverance in the face of significant adversity that played out in this story.
The Bad
Like all of Lydia's books, where the heck is the epilogue? I wanna see these two riding off into the sunset and learning to live with each other!!!
This story does need a decent amount of editing, if only to tidy up the plot holes. For instance, who is Lars?
The Ugly
Some of the darker 'bits' could have been left out and perhaps left to our imaginations. This didn't really add to the story.
The Wrap Up
Lydia, you will always be an autobuy author. I'd like more Rix now please!!!
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Others in the Series
Homebound
Sky Song
Find Me
Instagram
Storygraph
Girl is en route to her new life, sans essential brother, when her ship is taken over by pirates. The pirates are pretty rubbish at being pirates, but they are despicable and shenanigans ensue, most of them horrible.
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Plot
The plot follows Rosamma, a minor character in the second book, as she plans to head off into the sky following the big heist. Circumstances mean her brother can't join her straight away, so she has to take a chance with some exceptional grumpy Rix defenders and a group of woman who are both terrible and annoying. As expected, the group are swiftly hijacked by literally the worst pirates ever - they're a band of unruly Rix (plus a few extras) whose only goal in life is to get drunk and/or high and kill and/or screw everything around them. They have zero intention of actually keeping any hostages and the woman are left to fend for themselves, as long as they stay in their section of the ship.
The pacing is pretty quick, there's a few grammatical errors and there's a smattering of continuity mistakes that left me ready back and forth to try and straighten the story out. However, none of this matter too much to me and I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, even if some of it made me incredibly uncomfortable.
Characters
FMC
I really like Rosamma. I liked her as a side character in Sky Song, and I'm so glad we get to know her better in this story. She's a relatively simple person, albeit with some nifty healy juju, but I actually liked having a 'normal-ish' lead for a change. There's nothing special about her besides the healing business; she's not particularly smart, she's definitely not athletic and she's kinda average looking. However, it's her actions as the story progresses that I like - she attempts to hold the entire team together despite the odds, becoming a sort of advocate and spokes person between the women and the pirates, trying to help out whenever she can.
MMC
As MMC's go, he's the worst. Like literally, the worst. There are few redeeming qualities about this guy, but still somehow this worked. I really enjoyed learning about his backstory and how he got where he is - I really liked the balance between him being a terrible person, but just 'enough' of a terrible person because he's stuck in a situation he just cannot get himself out of.
The Rest
The women - are mostly awful. They remind me so much of the humans in Last Hour of Gann, bar a few nice characters. Even the kid could have been entirely written out of the plot and that might have improved things.
Phex - I wasn't sure what was going to happen to this character, but the story we got definitely wasn't what I was expecting.
The Chemistry
I actually really liked the chemistry between the two of them - it's a very slow start, rightfully so, but the buildup and yearning was excellent.
The Good
I really enjoyed the themes of perseverance in the face of significant adversity that played out in this story.
The Bad
Like all of Lydia's books, where the heck is the epilogue? I wanna see these two riding off into the sunset and learning to live with each other!!!
This story does need a decent amount of editing, if only to tidy up the plot holes. For instance, who is Lars?
The Ugly
Some of the darker 'bits' could have been left out and perhaps left to our imaginations. This didn't really add to the story.
The Wrap Up
Lydia, you will always be an autobuy author. I'd like more Rix now please!!!
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Others in the Series
Homebound
Sky Song
Find Me
Storygraph
September 10, 2025
Dark, Gritty, and Absolutely Magnificent
Lydia Hope has truly outdone herself with Seven Oar. This book was nothing short of magnificent. It takes the Rix Universe in a darker, grittier direction than Homebound or Sky Song, and I loved every moment of it.
At the centre of the story is one of the most compelling anti-hero male leads I've read in a long time - complex, flawed, and utterly magnetic. He brings depth and unpredictability to the narrative, and paired with the twists and turns of the plot, the result is breathtaking. There were moments that genuinely left me reeling, shocked in the best possible way, yet always eager to turn the next page.
At its heart, Seven Oar is a story about survival - enduring unimaginable, almost incomprehensible conditions and finding a way forward despite everything. That core theme makes the book all the more powerful, layering grit with resilience and hope.
Despite its darker tone, the book didn't feel bleak. Lydia Hope weaved in threads of hope and inspiration, balancing the rawness of the world with moments of profound humanity. It's this balance between brutal challenges and glimmers of light that made the story unforgettable.
For me, Seven Oar stands out as one of the very best books I've read this year. It's shocking, emotional, inspiring, and impossible to put down. If I could give it ten stars, I absolutely would and I already know I'll be diving back in for a reread soon.
Lydia Hope has truly outdone herself with Seven Oar. This book was nothing short of magnificent. It takes the Rix Universe in a darker, grittier direction than Homebound or Sky Song, and I loved every moment of it.
At the centre of the story is one of the most compelling anti-hero male leads I've read in a long time - complex, flawed, and utterly magnetic. He brings depth and unpredictability to the narrative, and paired with the twists and turns of the plot, the result is breathtaking. There were moments that genuinely left me reeling, shocked in the best possible way, yet always eager to turn the next page.
At its heart, Seven Oar is a story about survival - enduring unimaginable, almost incomprehensible conditions and finding a way forward despite everything. That core theme makes the book all the more powerful, layering grit with resilience and hope.
Despite its darker tone, the book didn't feel bleak. Lydia Hope weaved in threads of hope and inspiration, balancing the rawness of the world with moments of profound humanity. It's this balance between brutal challenges and glimmers of light that made the story unforgettable.
For me, Seven Oar stands out as one of the very best books I've read this year. It's shocking, emotional, inspiring, and impossible to put down. If I could give it ten stars, I absolutely would and I already know I'll be diving back in for a reread soon.
September 5, 2025
I don’t normally give out 5 stars - typically reserving 5/5 for the best books I’ve ever read - but all of Lydia Hope’s Rix Universe books deserve 5 stars from me.
Every one of the books in this series has been so enthralling I’ve read them in a day. While I usually agree with critical feedback other reviewers give, these books do something for me I haven’t had in a long time - leave me with book hangovers, and that gives them 5 stars alone. I mean, I’m still in love with Simon from the first book; this series will live with me for a long time. I’d put “Seven Oars” as my second favorite in the series, and a good book to end the series on. These are the books I’d use for an icebreaker answer when someone asks, “what book do you wish you could read for the first time again?”
Overall, I loved all the twists in this book. I enjoyed the growth Rosamma had, and I loved who she ended up with. I love him almost as much as Simon!
I’ll miss the Rix Universe!
Every one of the books in this series has been so enthralling I’ve read them in a day. While I usually agree with critical feedback other reviewers give, these books do something for me I haven’t had in a long time - leave me with book hangovers, and that gives them 5 stars alone. I mean, I’m still in love with Simon from the first book; this series will live with me for a long time. I’d put “Seven Oars” as my second favorite in the series, and a good book to end the series on. These are the books I’d use for an icebreaker answer when someone asks, “what book do you wish you could read for the first time again?”
Overall, I loved all the twists in this book. I enjoyed the growth Rosamma had, and I loved who she ended up with. I love him almost as much as Simon!
I’ll miss the Rix Universe!
September 8, 2025
This was a really hard one to get through because of how dark and bleak the story was for the majority of the novel length without much hope. And I would say it’s more psychologically dark than Planet Zero where the environmental strains of the planet monsters are a constant threat. But in Seven Oars, the environmental issues (being on a spaceship) are secondary to the people (aliens/pirates?).
Lydia Hope has a way of writing and building a world where you just keep wanting to know what happens next. My complaints remain the same, but I think ring louder for this one.
1) Our epilogues and ‘HEA’ are very short and underwhelming considering the emotional rollercoaster we go through with our characters. You don’t quite get the emotional payoff or sit in the good feels for longer than a page or two before the story ends.
2) With this being the third installment of the series, I was hoping to learn more about the Rix or other alien’s culture than what was revealed in the previous two novels and I was a little disappointed by the lack of exploration.
3) Despite how dark the story was, Rosamma’s main character plot armor made it a little hard to believe that she was in true danger. The large cast felt like filler for the body count to seem more important than it really was. I had a hard time remembering everyone or caring about who was who and where they were, especially towards the end.
4) I didn’t mind the romantic partner aspect to the story, it definitely was a new perspective we hadn’t had before, but my issue was that we had less time with our couple to develop their feelings. So we were being ‘told’ about their connections in summary just in case we missed it when feelings suddenly changed 180 to be more romantic so it wouldn’t seem so out of character. Which… seems… a little weak.
I still devoured it in a day though, couldn’t put it down and I will read anything Lydia Hope puts out. I will probably reread this one again especially knowing everything I know now. Just will have a backup comfort read to follow up knowing the feels I’m gonna be going through with this one.
If this is your first Lydia Hope book, read the content warnings and if you need to avoid this book, it’s okay—your mental health is not worth it. There are plenty of other books to go around. If you are not used to disturbing content, I would say skip this one and try book one ‘Homebound.’ Still got her great writing and the sci-fi/romance and the world build building with slightly less on page violence.
Lydia Hope has a way of writing and building a world where you just keep wanting to know what happens next. My complaints remain the same, but I think ring louder for this one.
1) Our epilogues and ‘HEA’ are very short and underwhelming considering the emotional rollercoaster we go through with our characters. You don’t quite get the emotional payoff or sit in the good feels for longer than a page or two before the story ends.
2) With this being the third installment of the series, I was hoping to learn more about the Rix or other alien’s culture than what was revealed in the previous two novels and I was a little disappointed by the lack of exploration.
3) Despite how dark the story was, Rosamma’s main character plot armor made it a little hard to believe that she was in true danger. The large cast felt like filler for the body count to seem more important than it really was. I had a hard time remembering everyone or caring about who was who and where they were, especially towards the end.
4) I didn’t mind the romantic partner aspect to the story, it definitely was a new perspective we hadn’t had before, but my issue was that we had less time with our couple to develop their feelings. So we were being ‘told’ about their connections in summary just in case we missed it when feelings suddenly changed 180 to be more romantic so it wouldn’t seem so out of character. Which… seems… a little weak.
I still devoured it in a day though, couldn’t put it down and I will read anything Lydia Hope puts out. I will probably reread this one again especially knowing everything I know now. Just will have a backup comfort read to follow up knowing the feels I’m gonna be going through with this one.
If this is your first Lydia Hope book, read the content warnings and if you need to avoid this book, it’s okay—your mental health is not worth it. There are plenty of other books to go around. If you are not used to disturbing content, I would say skip this one and try book one ‘Homebound.’ Still got her great writing and the sci-fi/romance and the world build building with slightly less on page violence.
October 13, 2025
This was one crazy, dark and toxic ride. I'm having mixed feelings on this one. Will reread one day to form a better judgement.
September 8, 2025
** Major spoilers ahead. Don’t read if it bothers you**
I’ve read Seven Oar a few days ago already but I needed some time to process it.
First of all, as others have said in their reviews, Homebound is not happening again. Too bad, I can’t help but look forward to be swept away with the same kind of magic that book held.
Anyway.
I think me struggling with this book is a little of a “me” problem.
This is frustrating because I like how serious this universe is. There is no ditzy, happy-go-lucky female protagonists. The tone is harsh, the world unfair. The issues people face are serious and deadly. This is nice, especially when so many other books can feel very superficial.
But … this book got a little too serious for me – which brings me back to the whole “it’s not you, it’s me” thing.
It felt like sinking deeper and deeper into depressing and dangerous situations with far too few moments of fresh air. The light moments were too scarce for me. I couldn’t relax at all while reading this.
Another issue I had is our female protagonist’s love interest. This is on me, but I spent far too long misunderstanding Phex as Rosamma’s future lover. I invested myself fully into every interaction between them, seeking and analyzing any little crumbs of potential romantic interest. It was only halfway through the book that I started to realize that no, Phex was not it.
Some readers liked the twist, but I didn’t. About 50% into a story is a little too late to start “introducing” a character as the romantic dude. Worse, by then, Finn had already firmly cemented his place as A Very Bad Guy. I genuinely disliked the man and looked forward to his downfall. Looking back, there were some veeery subtle hints of what was to come : his suave voice, his mysterious looks … I’m usually good at spotting those signs, but I admit to completely missing the mark with this one. I was probably too busy hating the guy.
Accepting Finn as Rosamma’s lover was a hard pill to swallow, and I didn’t quite manage that. I just disliked – even despised – him too much by then and couldn’t quite shift gear.
As far as dark heroes are concerned, I’ve read my share. But something about Finn didn’t click for me. He was, should I say, too dark? I just couldn’t get over that scene, the one where Phex and Sassa were abused (you know the one), and Finn just sat there and watched it all happen. Worse was that Rosamma was the first victim. If she hadn’t been on her period, she would have been assaulted too. And what, Finn would have just watched it happen? How can I cheer for him after that? Also, the whole meat locker thing with the corpse inside, chaining Rosamma to it … yeah. I just can’t get over any of it. Finn is the product of his time on the bad guys’ planet and then living with a band of sadistic space pirates, I get that, but I just can’t like him.
Really, the whole romance in this book felt like a bad case of Stockholm syndrome.
Definitely not for me.
Even the few lighter moments Rosamma and Finn shared together are not truly light. The general bleakness of the world still weighed heavy on those scenes.
Someone else mentioned how the ending felt too abrupt. Getting a happy ending could have been a nice way to finish the story on a more hopeful note, on a nice interaction between lovers reunited after years. Some sort of palate cleanser if you will, but we didn’t even get that. Hell, Eze had more lines and appeared in more pages during that finale chapter than Finn did. What a waste. Not that I was feeling particularly invested in the romance by then, but the story remained very hopeless to the very end.
So yeah. Not the book for me. Too dark. Too bleak. And really not the right hero for me (which is weird because I’m usually more dissatisfied with the heroines than their love interests).
Two stars for the worldbuilding that I still find very intriguing.
I’ll read the author’s next book. So far, two of hers have been hits (Homebound/planet zero) and two have been misses (seven oar / sky song).
Fingers crossed for the next one!
I’ve read Seven Oar a few days ago already but I needed some time to process it.
First of all, as others have said in their reviews, Homebound is not happening again. Too bad, I can’t help but look forward to be swept away with the same kind of magic that book held.
Anyway.
I think me struggling with this book is a little of a “me” problem.
This is frustrating because I like how serious this universe is. There is no ditzy, happy-go-lucky female protagonists. The tone is harsh, the world unfair. The issues people face are serious and deadly. This is nice, especially when so many other books can feel very superficial.
But … this book got a little too serious for me – which brings me back to the whole “it’s not you, it’s me” thing.
It felt like sinking deeper and deeper into depressing and dangerous situations with far too few moments of fresh air. The light moments were too scarce for me. I couldn’t relax at all while reading this.
Another issue I had is our female protagonist’s love interest. This is on me, but I spent far too long misunderstanding Phex as Rosamma’s future lover. I invested myself fully into every interaction between them, seeking and analyzing any little crumbs of potential romantic interest. It was only halfway through the book that I started to realize that no, Phex was not it.
Some readers liked the twist, but I didn’t. About 50% into a story is a little too late to start “introducing” a character as the romantic dude. Worse, by then, Finn had already firmly cemented his place as A Very Bad Guy. I genuinely disliked the man and looked forward to his downfall. Looking back, there were some veeery subtle hints of what was to come : his suave voice, his mysterious looks … I’m usually good at spotting those signs, but I admit to completely missing the mark with this one. I was probably too busy hating the guy.
Accepting Finn as Rosamma’s lover was a hard pill to swallow, and I didn’t quite manage that. I just disliked – even despised – him too much by then and couldn’t quite shift gear.
As far as dark heroes are concerned, I’ve read my share. But something about Finn didn’t click for me. He was, should I say, too dark? I just couldn’t get over that scene, the one where Phex and Sassa were abused (you know the one), and Finn just sat there and watched it all happen. Worse was that Rosamma was the first victim. If she hadn’t been on her period, she would have been assaulted too. And what, Finn would have just watched it happen? How can I cheer for him after that? Also, the whole meat locker thing with the corpse inside, chaining Rosamma to it … yeah. I just can’t get over any of it. Finn is the product of his time on the bad guys’ planet and then living with a band of sadistic space pirates, I get that, but I just can’t like him.
Really, the whole romance in this book felt like a bad case of Stockholm syndrome.
Definitely not for me.
Even the few lighter moments Rosamma and Finn shared together are not truly light. The general bleakness of the world still weighed heavy on those scenes.
Someone else mentioned how the ending felt too abrupt. Getting a happy ending could have been a nice way to finish the story on a more hopeful note, on a nice interaction between lovers reunited after years. Some sort of palate cleanser if you will, but we didn’t even get that. Hell, Eze had more lines and appeared in more pages during that finale chapter than Finn did. What a waste. Not that I was feeling particularly invested in the romance by then, but the story remained very hopeless to the very end.
So yeah. Not the book for me. Too dark. Too bleak. And really not the right hero for me (which is weird because I’m usually more dissatisfied with the heroines than their love interests).
Two stars for the worldbuilding that I still find very intriguing.
I’ll read the author’s next book. So far, two of hers have been hits (Homebound/planet zero) and two have been misses (seven oar / sky song).
Fingers crossed for the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2025
This is the third book in a series and you definitely have to have read book 1 & 2 for context. So this review is just to incourage any SciFi Romance readers who stumble across this author/book/review, who LOVE some heavy world building and slow burn in their SciFi romance, to check out Lydia Hope. The stream factor is low, but the romance is lovely once it reveals itself. Lots of tension - real trust issues (like does he want to eat me or keep me forever?) - are we even physically compatible? - is this my actual soul mate - alien goodness. Her books tend to be long with lots of space alien detail. In this one we're trapped on a collapsing junker space station with brutal space pirates and dwindling supplies and sanity for most of the book. It's not comfortable, it's realistic, so fair warning you have to LIKE that stuff. I love it, so this author is one of my favorite discoveries from digging around the romance world for years. The Aliens are weird and brutal, everything feels a bit off beat and a little strange. But in the best -where are we and what is going on - kind of way. You're just immersed in this authors universe and hoping these characters make it through the deep space trauma and chaos to an HEA. The one in this book was so chaotic and hard won. l'd have liked a little more time lingering in that HEA, considering the claustrophobic space horror journey it took to get there, but honestly just enjoyed being in this authors head again.
September 28, 2025
special need child suffering
Ah how it pains me to write this review!
Lydia doesn’t publish often and ever since I read her first book on the series I have been hooked. No matter I’m a spice reader and her books don’t have much of it, but her plots are top notch so I finish them every time.
On this book, we are introduced to a little girl named Daphne who comes across as a little girl with severe autism, or another neurological condition that makes her extremely vulnerable. This poor child, is in a place where no one truly cares about her and is spoken off as a heavy burden. It felt like I was reading child abuse. The way the characters spoke about her and to her was so sad. The whole time I was thinking, “is this a reflection of how the author sees special needs children?”
Daphne suffering ruined the book for me, it made me dislike the women, and the main female character. I think the story would have been so much better without this poor child being in so much distress. I am constantly surrounded by special needs children and it really got to me.
This book would have been 5 stars for me if it wasn’t for this character. I definitely can say I won’t read this author anymore. Just can’t
Ah how it pains me to write this review!
Lydia doesn’t publish often and ever since I read her first book on the series I have been hooked. No matter I’m a spice reader and her books don’t have much of it, but her plots are top notch so I finish them every time.
On this book, we are introduced to a little girl named Daphne who comes across as a little girl with severe autism, or another neurological condition that makes her extremely vulnerable. This poor child, is in a place where no one truly cares about her and is spoken off as a heavy burden. It felt like I was reading child abuse. The way the characters spoke about her and to her was so sad. The whole time I was thinking, “is this a reflection of how the author sees special needs children?”
Daphne suffering ruined the book for me, it made me dislike the women, and the main female character. I think the story would have been so much better without this poor child being in so much distress. I am constantly surrounded by special needs children and it really got to me.
This book would have been 5 stars for me if it wasn’t for this character. I definitely can say I won’t read this author anymore. Just can’t
November 19, 2025
I may have rated this higher if I’d done so after a bit of time, I think I struggled because it seemed like things just always went wrong, it was pretty (really) dark, the author didn’t do what I was expecting love interest wise (not a her problem but I like knowing who I’m rooting for early and don’t like to then switch who I’m rooting for so deciding at about 60% who is definitely the one was a little harder especially when it had seemed like something else earlier, and had me to-ing and fro-ing with is she or isn’t she suggesting what I think she’s suggesting until 60% made me a little annoyed - but again this is a me issue), and I didn’t get an epilogue 😩😭 of their HEA so although I got it, I wanted something more - all that to say is why I gave it 4 stars, but reserve the right to change my mind if I reread it with the new insight of knowing at a later date.
I liked getting Rosamma’s story having met her in the previous book, and I like surprisingly liked our hero too, it was a bit of a roller coaster but ended up being a good one all in all.
I’m enjoying this series, we’ll written but I definitely think this one has been the darkest of the lot so far.
Definitely check your trigger warnings with this one, there are a lot of triggers in there.
I liked getting Rosamma’s story having met her in the previous book, and I like surprisingly liked our hero too, it was a bit of a roller coaster but ended up being a good one all in all.
I’m enjoying this series, we’ll written but I definitely think this one has been the darkest of the lot so far.
Definitely check your trigger warnings with this one, there are a lot of triggers in there.
Read
September 10, 20253.5 stars, rounded up because Lydia Hope gets a good author hall pass. This book was definitely well written, but it was just unrelentingly bleak. There is an HEA at the end, but fair warning, it’s not lighthearted or even humorous in any way. I miss the slice of life tone and banter from the last 2 books, even while the characters were experiencing deep hardships.
Tough to call this much of a romance either and more like a dystopian survival book. So if you like that sort of thing, this book is good. I personally don’t, most of the time; the world is too bleak to read this stuff for my entertainment. But if that doesn’t bother you, it’s well written and interesting. I read it in one day.
IMO it’s somewhat lacking chemistry between the fmc and Mmc though, I’m not sure why, but it just isn’t there.
Also, content warning, there’s an off-camera rape of a side character. Not very detailed but may be triggering for some. Lots of violence also, more than her other works.
Tough to call this much of a romance either and more like a dystopian survival book. So if you like that sort of thing, this book is good. I personally don’t, most of the time; the world is too bleak to read this stuff for my entertainment. But if that doesn’t bother you, it’s well written and interesting. I read it in one day.
IMO it’s somewhat lacking chemistry between the fmc and Mmc though, I’m not sure why, but it just isn’t there.
Also, content warning, there’s an off-camera rape of a side character. Not very detailed but may be triggering for some. Lots of violence also, more than her other works.
September 5, 2025
I probably rated this higher than I should have, but the Rix are my favorite aliens and I was so thrilled to see another book, I just inhaled it.
That said, I deliberately overlooked some inconsistencies in the beginning regarding who could understand who, and there was some odd formatting and words… but: Rix, so…I'm standing by my rating.
Rosamma was given much more detail and was definitely more interesting than I expected her to be. The two main Rix characters were great, and I loved how neither was what he seemed, yet both were the same.
My unpopular opinion is that I loved Sky Song as much as the first book, and this book has a little of what I loved in both of them.
I hope this is not the last one.
That said, I deliberately overlooked some inconsistencies in the beginning regarding who could understand who, and there was some odd formatting and words… but: Rix, so…I'm standing by my rating.
Rosamma was given much more detail and was definitely more interesting than I expected her to be. The two main Rix characters were great, and I loved how neither was what he seemed, yet both were the same.
My unpopular opinion is that I loved Sky Song as much as the first book, and this book has a little of what I loved in both of them.
I hope this is not the last one.
September 9, 2025
I really loved this story and I finished it in a day (couldn't put it down) and I felt like the HEA really fit the characters.
It is much more gritty/graphic than Homebound. There is a lot of graphic violence (including SA, but off page). It lost one star because I felt like Finn and Rose didn't have enough interactions in the first part of the story so the depth of their feelings felt a little abrupt.
Also, I don't think it was intentional and it did make sense in the context of the plot, but the two women who were the most overtly sexual (flirty, enjoyed sex/attention) were the flawed/evil ones and, as someone who would immediately jump on alien dick, I relate more to their character motivation lol.
Overall, despite its flaws I loved loved loved it.
It is much more gritty/graphic than Homebound. There is a lot of graphic violence (including SA, but off page). It lost one star because I felt like Finn and Rose didn't have enough interactions in the first part of the story so the depth of their feelings felt a little abrupt.
Also, I don't think it was intentional and it did make sense in the context of the plot, but the two women who were the most overtly sexual (flirty, enjoyed sex/attention) were the flawed/evil ones and, as someone who would immediately jump on alien dick, I relate more to their character motivation lol.
Overall, despite its flaws I loved loved loved it.
September 15, 2025
So the beginning of this book was really boring I almost wasn’t sure if I was going to continue reading there was not enough romance but I realized why later on. I couldn’t believe the twist that for once I did not see coming and twists now days are very predictable but dang that made me so happy because I was falling for him while I knew I shouldn’t but so happy I kept going. Probably my favourite out of them but I loved the second too not sure why everyone was hating on that one. I love this universe and the aliens I really hope for more I can’t get enough. I do wish there was a longer epilogue though I wanted to see more of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2025
Lydia Hope you have done it again!!! Absolutely all the stars for the third book in the Rix Universe series. More than makes up for my slight disappointment of the second book (but only because Homebound was so wonderful). I really appreciated how Lydia Hope showed rather than told readers how the MMC was attracted to the FMC. You have to look for clues in the first half of the book, but believe me they are there. Hence a wonderful and truly believable slow burn.
My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer. No spoilers here but this is a must read!
My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer. No spoilers here but this is a must read!
September 12, 2025
Another solid addition
Dark, gritty, tragic, heart rending in the way all Lydia Hope books are, this addition was everything I needed. Certainly much darker than the previous two, but in a refreshing and not overwhelming way.
I’ll keep hoping for increasingly more installments in the Rix Universe series as they truly are my favorites.
Dark, gritty, tragic, heart rending in the way all Lydia Hope books are, this addition was everything I needed. Certainly much darker than the previous two, but in a refreshing and not overwhelming way.
I’ll keep hoping for increasingly more installments in the Rix Universe series as they truly are my favorites.
September 14, 2025
Couldn’t put it down!
Seriously was glued to the page reading what came next. I hated most of the characters aside from the FMC and MMC. It’s definitely a slow burn which I love! I only wish there was a bit more, it feels a little unfinished because we don’t know what happened to the pirates on the ship or even what life looks like moving forward for the couple.
Seriously was glued to the page reading what came next. I hated most of the characters aside from the FMC and MMC. It’s definitely a slow burn which I love! I only wish there was a bit more, it feels a little unfinished because we don’t know what happened to the pirates on the ship or even what life looks like moving forward for the couple.
October 12, 2025
Fantastic read. The plot was on the darker side, but the author does a super job with this theme.
I'm obsessed with rixs would love to know more about Enzomora planet.
The characters had all beautiful flaws and real feelings. Loved the bounce back from humans to the rixs. Poor phex. My heart did go out to him, even tho he started losing his marbles.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I'm obsessed with rixs would love to know more about Enzomora planet.
The characters had all beautiful flaws and real feelings. Loved the bounce back from humans to the rixs. Poor phex. My heart did go out to him, even tho he started losing his marbles.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story.
September 5, 2025
wonderful story
The world building was amazing and I honestly didn’t guess the change of heart of the protagonist. I love the whole Rix universe. Wonderful read.
The world building was amazing and I honestly didn’t guess the change of heart of the protagonist. I love the whole Rix universe. Wonderful read.
September 10, 2025
Loved this book!
September 10, 2025
Another one of my favorites!
Loved Rosamma’s story! It was so good—Always leaves me wanting more. I need epilogues for all of the rix books now!
Loved Rosamma’s story! It was so good—Always leaves me wanting more. I need epilogues for all of the rix books now!
September 13, 2025
As always, a unique layered tale
I look eagerly forward to Lydia's books. They keep a human element, no one is a perfect hero or villain. It makes them believable.
I look eagerly forward to Lydia's books. They keep a human element, no one is a perfect hero or villain. It makes them believable.
September 16, 2025
4.5 ***
I hope this is produced in audio.
I hope this is produced in audio.
November 18, 2025
Darker than the other books in the series - but damn do I love a healer FMC.
The rushed ending really hurt me though.
The rushed ending really hurt me though.
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