A vanished hero. A rookie pilot. A world on the edge of extinction.
Fresh out of the academy, Mia never expected her first mission to end in a catastrophic crash inside the deadly Kraken Nebula. Stranded on a planet where every flower has fangs and betrayal lurks in the shadows, she discovers the impossible—legendary hero Jason “Starlight” Griggs, lost for three decades yet untouched by time.
But Jason isn’t the nebula’s only secret. The lush planet’s veins run with rare, life-giving minerals—but a brutal warlord is bleeding them dry, driving the natives to the edge of annihilation.
Time is running out, and trust is a luxury Mia and Jason can’t afford. Every choice they make will determine not just their own survival, but the fate of a civilization.
Danger is closing in. Passions ignite. And on a world that fights back with tooth and root, survival may demand the ultimate sacrifice…each other.
Perfect for fans of found-family crews, dangerous alien worlds, and slow-burn space romance, Starlight is a heart-pounding sci-fi adventure you won’t be able to put down.
The countdown has begun. Buckle up and launch into Starlight today!
Jennifer M. Eaton hails from the eastern shore of the North American Continent on planet Earth. Yes, regrettably, she is human, but please don’t hold that against her.
While not traipsing through the galaxy looking for specimens for her space moth collection, she lives with her wonderfully supportive husband and three energetic offspring. (And a poodle who runs the spaceport when she’s not around.)
During infrequent excursions to her home planet of Earth, Jennifer enjoys long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but great adventures are always a short shuttle ride away.
Starlight by Jennifer M. Eaton is a science fiction space romance. This book is truly fascinating from start to finish. A renowned pilot disappears years ago saving a civilian space ship from being sucked into a nebula. Now, thirty years later, a carbon life-form beacon is spotted and a rescue ship is sent to see if they can find what triggered the signal in the first place. A rookie pilot, a sentient planet, a rogue man intent on taking over the planet…and some seriously cool creature life. Interested? Grab this book! Starlight is a truly fascinating science fiction space novel. Now, there is some romance, but the author doesn’t make it the focal point of the story. I enjoy romance novels, but I think that this book’s draw power is the fact that the romance is subtle but sweet, but also that the focus is survival and the planet itself. The author put a lot of thought into the inhabitants of this alien planet and I couldn’t get enough of it. I loved the variety of flora and fauna. Curious? Imagine – electric squirrels, tiger piranhas, tank beetles, hungry flowers, and Great Eater trees! This planet is so unique and cool I couldn’t put this book down! The author does an excellent job keeping me page-turning to learn what is going to happen next. The author goes back and forth between Mia (the rookie pilot) and Jason (“Captain” Starlight). I love going back and forth as it allows me to get a nice perspective between the two characters. It’s funny to see Mia get offended when someone tells her that “pilots are notoriously arrogant.” I’m sorry but I snickered because she just didn’t like that bit of light. The characters are flawed, but it’s honestly in a tolerable way. There honestly isn’t much that I can complain about concerning this book. I like the amount of detail that the author gives me concerning the planet, and she goes to set the stage concerning the turmoil that is boiling on the planet. For those who love a HEA, this book delivers. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. This book is well-balanced and gives me just enough romance to be satisfying without overdoing it. There is little to no explicit content in this book, so it’s suitable for older teens as well. The drama is well done, and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
Well folks I did it. I made it through this book. It was HARD y'all. I almost gave up seven times.
What I liked: - Dobby - the natives - the ecosystem and the carefully thought out ways it worked* - Emily
What I didn't like: - just about everything else
The opening with Mia getting excited for her new job and then super wary because protocols are being tossed out faster than you can blink, had me interested. The fact Stevenson sent her out for exploring DESPITE het not being certified for it, also interesting but in a more "dafuq dude" way (incidentally later on we find out she minored in "indigenous people" at the academy and I eye-rolled hard)
And then we get the Vincent and his gang of bullies.
This is 2020 and the bad guy has devolved into an insane (military commander) tyrant who considers himself not a monster because he doesn't force himself on women (he said this not two paragraphs after telling Mia he'd enjoy breaking her spirit, tying her down on a bed would be fun and she'd learn a woman's place is on her knees). This isn't the extent of his tyranny - he also wants to destroy the planet for power and profit.
Mia and Jason are busy falling into a tense kind of mistrustful love which is mildly icky because he's 30 years older than her technically (timey wimey age things not withstanding) and she grew up worshipping his legend. The author also references a lot of recent history to the reader pop culture and events.
Mia alternates between using the brain she was born with and being so annoyed by Jason that she doesn't listen out of a misplaced arrogance that nearly kills her. Twice. Jason for his part spends more time agonizing over the fact Mia may not like him to be useful.
Anyhow, not recommended, read Carol Van Natta, Linea Sinclair or Veronica Scott for better scifi romance that blends aspects of genres together.
(* Being barely conversant in science, the world built here sounds reasonable and therefore the science spoke sounded likely. I have no idea if any of what's written here holds up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Space adventure, new planet, finding the hero.....all on a newly minted pilot's first assignment.
The characters were funny, very life like, the story full of action, and a little romance. The new planet Bob could be my next favorite vacation site. The idea for a self sustaining, living eco sphere planet isn't nee, but this twist was unique. Can't wait for the next one!
“What do you say, pilot? Are you ready to make history?”- Captain Stevenson
Mia Walton is one of the youngest pilots to ever attempt the Kraken Nebula. Nervous, but oh so ready to prove She has what it takes, Mia pilots the Alpha Cent on its search and rescue directive into the unknown; but an asteroid field and an unexpected magnetic field conspire to bring her ship down onto... Bob...
Jason "Starlight" Griggs was lost in the Kraken Nebula 30 years ago. He's learned to live with the natives on Bob, but not so much with Vincent, the head of Perseverance, a colony that was established from other crashed ships. An uneasy truce between Jason and Vincent, Jason is becoming concerned about the women at Perseverance.... And then the Alpha Cent crash landed...
"She was more than just a woman. More importantly, more than a beautiful blonde." - Mia
Finding herself in close proximity with the man she's idolized for years, Mia is, in turns, disgusted, intrigued and, despite herself, flattered. Jason is so much more than she expected, yet somehow... less. Mia wants Jason to see her as an equal, not just a woman..
Jason and Mia and the rest of the Alpha Cent crew find themselves in a battle... A battle for survival against a maleovent force bent on domination .... Of everything...
Wow oh wow, what a ride! Fast and furious, action packed, with more than a hint of heat between Mia and Jason! Loved it!
Jennifer Eaton has created yet another wonderful science fiction romance. This super cool space book has everything a reader could want...action, thrill, romance, and a fascinating setting.
Eaton spares no details to make her space theme come to life. She perfectly describes the setting, the creatures, and makes the reader truly able to be in this science fiction novel. I loved how in depth we got to learn about the planet, the flora, etc. without it being bogged down and slow.
Eaton also does a fantastic job with a dual perspective novel. We get to read through the perspective of the two main characters, which allows the reader to really get to know both characters. The characters are truly sweet. They are flawed but we get to see their character growth throughout the story.
This book is a must read for anyone who likes science fiction with a little bit of romance sprinkled in! You will not be disappointed!
Fantastic SciFi Space Adventure! A great combination of action, romance, thrills, unique creatures, man-eating plants, and an amazing new world. Mia Walton is assigned a Reclaim and Rescue mission as Pilot because nobody else wants it. She's fresh out of the Academy and full of spunk. The mission takes her to the most dangerous Kraken Nebula, the Bermuda Triangle of the Solar System. What starts out as a rescue mission becomes a fight for survival for her crew and the planet. I loved the wonderful, well defined characters, the snarky interaction between Mia and Jason, the detailed world built on this hidden planet and the spectacular ending. Enjoy!
I received an advance copy and am happy to leave my honest review.
I’m not a fan of science-fiction, y’all. And then I see a book by the amazing Jennifer M. Eaton and I HAVE to read it. Because this woman can tell a story. I love Mia. It took me awhile to like Jason, though, because I never figured out his issues. I might have thought the romance happened a bit quickly but since time moves differently on “Planet Bob” I guess that’s to be expected. If you think strong female heroes should rule the galaxy, this is a book you MUST read.
This was a solidly good read. I wasn't sure if it was the first book of a series or not, so I got nervous about three fifths of the way through that things weren't going to be resolved completely and I would have to wait a long time for the next book to be published. My fears were in vain. Not only did the book conclude the current adventure, but it was enjoyable to read through to the end. It had a particularly fun and satisfying ending, actually. I certainly wouldn't mind more books with these characters or in this world/universe.
This book pulled me in right from the start. The world-building was great, and so was the dialogue and character building. Without giving anything away, I laughed out loud when someone called, "Parker! Stevenson!" I know...showing my age. LOL I also appreciated it being a stand-alone. I could see more books happening, but this had a great ending.
I received a free copy, and I highly recommend it.
I really liked this story. It was a clean scifi story with a touch of romance. The characters were all amazing especially Mia and Jason and I loved their interactions together. I really liked the story line, the tone of the story, and the setting. I thought this story was outright fun to read. I was hooked from the end of the first chapter and read it in one sitting. I laughed quite a few times too. Just a great story that I will read again because it was so good. I loved it.
This book takes a bit to get into but don't give up you will be glad you did not.In this story Jennifer has taken us to a world that plants could eat you and trees that can swallow you, it will keep you turning those pages just to see if she gets her man home safely well written and the plots were good.
I have read this book as an ARC and I am leaving this review voluntary.
It was fun. It was like the author enjoyed writing it. The plot wasn't original & the characters were pretty standard heroes, heroines and villains, but the planet was interesting. The romance was sweet and clean. It could use an editor but the problems did not break the story's flow for me. I'll read more of her books.
This story beat my expectations with a big stick! The reality is that it’s a love story wrapped in a fantasy world and surrounded by space and science fiction. All of it written so beautifully that I laughed and cried and laughed some more. Oh and maybe I hissed and booed at the bad guys a bit too. They deserved it. This is one book that should be read. You’ll love it, I promise!
Fantastic world building. Story had lots of action and was steady paced. Yes, it was very similar to Avatar in places. Jason and Mia were very likable. Mia was strong and I loved that she could keep up with Jason. Great sci-fi read.
This was a great sci-fi story with Jason and Mia and lots of action and adventure. The storyline was interesting and intriguing and the characters pulled you into a Avatar type atmosphere! I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Starlight, my second incredible read from author Jennifer M. Eaton, started out quickly and got better with every page. This book is tightly woven and so well-written & enjoyable. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
A well written story. The world building was interesting and believable. The plot was different and the main characters were likeable. I would highly recommend this book.
Love the world building! Read the book in one sitting,could not put it down.Love strong characters.Would recommend that you read this.Looking forward to be reading more stories by Jennifer M Eaton.
I enjoyed the story. However, there was profanity in it. It would make a great movie. Took a little effort on my part to keep reading. I like the story but it didn’t really hold my interest.
This is a really interesting story with all the feels. I was happy and heartbroken at times and enjoyed the ride. It is clean and I don't remember much if any profanity either. Overall a good story.
Wow a great read that is a real page turner. The Author has done a fantastic job at bringing a great story to fruition. With twists and turns that I definitely recommend. Shauna Joesten
A nice space opera with great characters and a nice bit of worldbuilding with a dash of romance. The adventure moves along nicely and works out great. Enjoy!
If you like sci/fi with a touch of sexual tension this clicks all the right buttons. Head off with Mia, piloting her first ship on a rescue mission to space’s Bermuda triangle.
Mia can hardly believe she has her first piloting mission fresh from the academy. She has no time to make enquiries about the mission. Take off time is just half an hour after she is notified. Maybe all her hard work, acing all her classes with top scores really paid off.
After meeting the captain however, Mia finds it was a mission no one else wanted. This rescue mission may be one no returns from. All previous ships sent to this nebula have disappeared, presumed lost. Still Mia wouldn’t miss this chance for anything.
They are looking for her hero, really everyone’s hero, who disappeared thirty years ago after a heroic rescue of his own. If they do find the enigmatic hero, Starlight, will it be a rescue or will they themselves be lost?