Claimed by the Starbreaker

by M.J. Evernight

Updated & Expanded Edition: This version of Claimed by the Starbreaker includes over 60 additional pages of new scenes, deeper character development, and expanded worldbuilding based on reader feedback.

She was abandoned by the corporation that owned her. Rescued by the four aliens who refuse to claim her.

Xenobiologist Doctor Kira Vale knows exactly what she's worth to her employer: nothing. When her deep-space research station begins its death spiral, she's told to fix it herself or die trying.

Her distress beacon changes everything.

It doesn't summon a corporate rescue. It summons pirates.

But Torvyn, Lyrin, Vaelix, and Kaedren aren't the monsters she was warned about. They're Zorathi Knights—warriors sworn to protect those the corporations have oppressed, enslaved, and forgotten. They don't steal. They don't destroy. And they sure as hell don't take what isn't freely given.

What they do carry is an ancient biological bond called the Tether—a connection designed for five souls, not four.

And the moment Kira steps aboard the Starbreaker, it comes to life.
The Tether isn't ownership. It's a choice. A connection so deep it rewrites everything she thought she knew about love.

Now, Kira's recovering on a ship full of warriors who would burn the galaxy down before forcing her hand. But freedom has a price: a ruthless corporation hunting them all, a bounty on her head climbing by the hour, and an incomplete bond pulling them toward something terrifying and inevitable.

Kira must decide what she truly

Running alone into the stars… or standing tethered to four men who see her as their equal, their anchor, their everything.

✨ Perfect for readers who

Reverse harem alien romance (1 woman, 4 fiercely devoted warriors)Competent, agency-driven heroines who choose their own fateSlow-burn emotional and physical bonding that earns every momentFound family forged in fire and starlightHigh-stakes sci-fi adventure with real consequencesGuaranteed HEA with all her KnightsThe Tether doesn't demand obedience. It demands honesty.
And once it forms… there's no going back.

186 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 6, 2026

About the author

M.J. Evernight was born in the Pacific Northwest and currently lives in the western United States. When not writing, Evernight enjoys reading and spending time outdoors. A lifelong lover of science fiction and speculative romance, Evernight writes stories that blend adventure, intimacy, and found family—often set among the stars and driven by characters who choose connection on their own terms.

Reviews

[krysley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm marking this as a 3-star rating, but I'd bump it up to 3.5 stars if I could.

I was really excited to start this because it had some of my favorite things: sci-fi romance, why choose, and found family. All of those things were easily checked off after I finished this novella-length book, but I was left unsatisfied.

The Good Stuff: The first paragraph! I knew I was off to a good start with Kira. She is unabashedly smart, snarky, and competent.

The Good Stuff, Part 2: I really enjoyed the plotline and how solidly sci-fi this was. This book is advertised as a slow burn, which is not normally my cup of tea, but I didn't really mind it so much here because I was enjoying all of the sci-fi aspects. The scientific exploration, the spaceships, the different alien species . . . there was a strong foundation here for worldbuilding.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: There is a whole lot of telling and not enough showing. For example, after Kira gets picked up by the Starbreaker and the MMCs, she wakes up and starts listing off all the MMCs as if we have already met them.

Here's the quote: "I had been kidnapped. And just like that, everything came flooding back. The alarms. The stupid flashing lights. The smug captain with an attitude. The sweet medic telling me to breath. The slightly - no, completely - obsessed science officer. And, of course. The four-armed mountain of muscle that pulled me out of the collapsing habitat."

There is a lot in that paragraph that is suddenly knowledge with no base. The captain, yeah, that one gets a pass. The sweet medic? Okay, he does identify himself as such, but there was nothing about him telling her to breathe. The obsessed science officer? There's no way to figure that out.

It's just . . . a whole lot of telling about the MMCs when we haven't even met 3/4 of them.

The Not-So-Good Stuff, Part 2: Okay, so I said I didn't mind the slow burn here. And I really didn't! But this would be so much better if it was a full-length novel. I didn't buy the insta-love at all, mainly because there wasn't that much interaction among everyone. I prefer fast or medium burn, but I'm not opposed to a slow burn either, as long as it's done correctly. The fact that they can't have much physical physical contact due to "cultural traditions" (which are never explained), left me feeling very unsatisfied with the relationships. There wasn't much intimacy shown here, whether through physical touches or talking. I think that if you say this book has "slow-burn emotional and physical bonding," you need to actually show that happening.

Final verdict: I still really like the idea of this book, but it all needs fleshed out more. I think I would have loved this if it was 200 pages longer and the reader actually got that emotional bonding with the physical payoff later. I think other why choose readers may find this lacking in areas as well, but it's still well-written with a good sci-fi foundation.

Helpful tags: science fiction romance, reverse harem/why choose, aliens, single POV, first person POV, novella length, series, medium paced

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Trouble10452 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fated mates (multiple alien partners) between Dr. Kira Voss and four alien Zorathi. The Zorathi travel around in a starship with a mission to help the galaxy.

"The people we help—and the things we do—are frowned upon by the corporations that exert extreme influence over the galaxy."

Dr Voss was working for one of the corporations- and ends up in a remote habitat with few resources. When the habitat fails she send out a distress signal that gets picked up by the Zorathi after she finds out that the company won’t pick her up for 12 hours. About 11 hours after her death.

The Zorathi a their mission are fascinating and Kira Voss is a smart, snarky, strong and ultimately vulnerable woman who enters the relationship as an equal.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I enjoyed the world building and the characters and I hope to read more stories about this universe.

[Sakura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Of course, it has everything that I could possibly need in a sci-fi romance except for abduction... but even then, I am willing to give it to them. After all, even if the fmc knows all about aliens, that doesn't mean it's not an abduction.

For the most part, the writing was fantastic (there were a couple of times I scratched my head, but I got over that fast) I honestly appreaciated the slow burn of the book, simply because I like how the author was building the relationships. Just because they are meant for each other doesn't mean that they have to jump in bed the moment they meet. (it would be a bit hard if that was the case in this book) The world was engaging, the characters fantastic, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Particulars:

MFMMM
No MM
Sci-fi
Aliens, aliens and oh so lovely aliens
Soulmates (tether)
Found family
Slow burn

[Christine ARGYROPOULOU · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

I had so much fun reading this book. It was funny, well written, a good protagonist and i loved the setting . Alien pirates😍omg i loved it. Reverse harrem instantly i wanted it. It didn’t disappoint. I loved how they met and the thoughts she had about them being pirates ready to kill her. The story was a little fast to be honest i wanted more but it has a second book so u guess we will found more then. The setting in the spaceship was really amazing. It gave the star wars vibes. I liked the battles and how their connection builts up after those events. It was a little fast but i liked it a lot.
I am rating it 3.75⭐️ and i want to read the bext one soon. It is worth it because is something different and fun.
I liked that it was not smutty because that would be really fast and it wouldn’t fit with the rest of the book at this time

[Lyndi Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I read science fiction. When I picked up a copy of Claimed by the Starbreaker: The Zorathi Pirate Chronicles, Book 1 in a trilogy by M.J. Evernight, I found it to be a quick read that jumps right into the inciting incident and conflict. This high-stakes story has a protagonist with special skill who is rescued by Zorathi Knights when her research station begins to fail.

I found Kira, the protagonist, quite likeable. She is smart and sassy and isn’t aware of what she is getting into when she boards the Zorathi ship. The lack of trust between the captain of the ship and Kira soon shifts when the Zorathi are called upon to protect her. The rising action does feel a little like the story is really has a way to go so be prepared to continue with two more books. The corporate bad guy vibe works well.

[Jennifer D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!

This book was….I think the most unique, intimate picture of a reverse harem or polyamory bond that I have ever read. It was extraordinarily intimate…. In a somewhat unusual way for the genre… At least compared to the books I usually read😳😉.

The alien/science fiction storyline was brilliantly unique and I really enjoyed the story🥰

I especially loved how the author gave each of the MMC’s a particular “strength”, i.e physical strength, leadership, empathy, brains….as well as how smart but emotionally fragile the FMC was while also being super sassy🤗😍

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rhiley Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really fun!
I had a bit of a problem with the slow burn considering it's not a full length novel, but otherwise it was packed full of interesting sci-fi world building to get lost in.
The love interests were sweet and all interesting to get to know, but I wish there had been MORE with them. For being as short as this novella was, there was more avoidance and less interaction than I would have liked between them and Kira (The MC).
Really, it was a quick and entertaining read that only took me about an hour to finish!

I received this as an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[P.A. Eastwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me enthralled throughout the entire story! I seriously read it all at one time! I loved the intrigue and the bond that formed between them. I liked how strong she was and snarky but do funny! These guys had to work to get her. Loved it! I can’t wait to read more like it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Preference Rating 4/5 🌶️ Kindle Book (KU)
I had mixed feeling about the FMC but I liked the storyline and the MMCs. I went in blind so I was a little surprised about how the romance went but I liked it overall. An easy fun read.

[Gloria]

Good alien romance story. Dr. Kira Vale is rescued by four space pirates when her research lab is destroyed. They all seem interested in her and mention something called the tethar. She finds them equally attractive. Can she really love four aliens?

[Louise]

I always love the start of a new series, and this storyline didn't disappoint.
Left aboard a vessel, totally alone and no way of getting of..
Being rescued by 4 pirates, who want nothing more than to help you and be yours...
Great HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lucifer LeGivorden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claimed by the Starbreaker delivers an interesting premise that initially caught my eye, but it kinda broke down into a reverse Harem fantasy pretty quickly. A stranded scientist rescued by four alien warriors connected by something called the Tether. Dr. Kira Vale is smart and sassy, which I found rather unoriginal and typical of most female characters nowadays. But it doesn't really hurt the story and is presented well enough that it didn't drive me away.

Her potential chemistry with the Zorathi Knights shows promise, and the sci-fi worldbuilding creates a solid universe of corporate oppression and alien cultures that could have been fascinating with more development.

And that's the thing that actually does hurt this book. At just 118 pages, this story rushes through everything that needed room to breathe. The "slow burn" romance feels more like the author telling us about connections rather than letting us experience them. With four love interests competing for limited page time, none of them feels fully realized as characters. The cultural restrictions preventing physical contact might work in a full-length novel, but here they just leave the emotional "bonding" feeling incomplete and very unsatisfying.

Another problem is that the writing shows clear AI influences. There are numerous formulaic transitions, over explained details, and stacked descriptors that are textbook AI habits. It's been heavily edited and very well rewritten, but a lot of those tells are still there. And certain character names, like "Voss," are go-to names for Anthropic's Claude LLM.

Don't get me wrong, I am not one who hates AI writing, so long as it is well edited and not left on its own. This book clearly shows that the author took time to do just that, but they could have taken the time to do more of it and expand on things. Which leads me to my next issue.

The plot also moves fast. Too fast in my opinion. Which left the story feeling more like the top layer of a cake, and not enough sponge or filling to feel whole. It really just left me wanting more, and not in a great way.

Ok, enough of my nitpicking. To be honest, this would genuinely shine as a full-length novel where the fascinating concepts and characters presented could properly develop and be allowed to breathe.

As it stands, it's a decent quick read that hints at unrealized potential rather than delivering a complete story. I would honestly tell the author to go back and double the chapter count, really flesh out this story, and for pity's sake, edit it thoroughly to remove any hints of AI involvement.

[Mia Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kira Vale is a tough as a nails protagonist. Monitoring and safeguarding a futuristic planet, she spars with her boss with snarky comments that show she’s not afraid to speak her mind. Readers will immediately get a sense that Kira finds her boss attractive, albeit she also describes him as a jerk. It lays the playing ground for what might be an enemies to lovers story. Although who she becomes paired with is part of the surprise.

As it carries on, Kira’s position as a deep space scientist stationed on a remote planet is placed in a precarious position. Something has gone wrong and she is at risk of death. Author M.J. Evernight’s strong suit is recognizing that this plot could appear cliche, but she balances it wonderfully with humor. Kira deadpans her situation assessing that she could die of asphyxiation, freeze, be attacked by pirates who see her distress signal, or worse, die of boredom over a dinner with her boss. She chooses to accept the help of alien pirates.

Thus starts Kira’s journey with four aliens whom she describes in simple terms. The smug captain, the sweet medic, the science obsessed officer, and the last — a mountain of muscle. She wakes to find her clothes removed and her response is shock and anger, but not at the obvious. Kira is fully annoyed with her management team as well as the fact that someone got a peek without the decency of buying her a drink. The sarcasm and humorous tone is what makes this book such a fun and easy read. Great for an afternoon of escapism.

[x.o-St3fani3-o.x · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Distress Beacon Worth Answering

This short story had me giggling like a schoolgirl. The witty commentary absolutely did it for me.

Dr. Kira Vale is stationed on a small habitat when it begins to fail, forcing her to send a distress beacon out into the void of space. Her company informs her upon assignment that rescue could take up to three hours. Not only does Kira have to fight to survive with dwindling oxygen, but her protective suit is damaged; there’s also the small matter of potentially being abducted by alien pirates. As delirium begins to set in, she’s rescued by those very pirates.

The pirate ship is run by four incredibly sexy Zorathi aliens. Captain Torvyn is skeptical about rescuing a human, but he’s a fair leader who treats his crew well and is fiercely protective of those he cares for. Dr. Lyrin is gentle and kind, overflowing with compassion and a quiet, steady protectiveness. Vaelix, the science officer, admires Kira’s work in their shared field of study and is very much the golden retriever of the group. Finally, there’s Kaedren, the muscle. Each man is connected in a way one can only dream of, and they believe Kira could complete their bond and become their fifth.

This story was clever, charming, and laugh-out-loud fun. I’m fully invested in Kira and her Knights of Zorathi and will be eagerly waiting to see how they take on the Corporation.

I received an advance copy of this story and leaving my own voluntarily review.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This alien romance stands out thanks to its creative take on bonding and relationships. As a reverse harem story, it introduces the concept of the tether—a sacred, deeply meaningful bond that goes far beyond simple attraction. The way this bond is described makes it feel emotional, powerful, and central to both the romance and the plot, which I found really compelling.
Alongside the romance, there’s plenty of tension to keep the story engaging. The female main character is pursued by her former boss, who previously abandoned her on a failing space station. His attempts to regain control range from abusing contractual loopholes to outright attacking a spaceship, which adds real stakes to the story and highlights just how determined—and dangerous—he is.
What makes the story especially satisfying is seeing the heroine stand her ground and ultimately come out on top, supported by her four-armed alien partners. The world-building is rich and immersive, making the alien cultures and relationships feel vivid and believable.
Overall, this is a fascinating and enjoyable alien reverse harem romance with a unique bond concept, strong tension, and an engaging sci-fi setting. Definitely worth reading if you enjoy creative world-building and unconventional romances.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ecem · Rating 3 out of 5]

*****I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Claimed by the Starbreaker starts with a lot of promise and an interesting core idea, especially for readers who enjoy why-choose romance. The concept and the story's general direction caught my attention early on, and I could see the potential for a much richer, more immersive narrative.

However, the pacing felt relatively fast throughout the book. Events moved from one point to another so quickly that I sometimes struggled to fully understand the setting or settle into the story's world. Because of this, it was also difficult to form a strong connection with the characters. With so many main characters involved, as is typical of the genre, would have loved to see more time devoted to developing their personalities, emotions, and relationships.

That said, considering this is the author’s first book, there is a solid foundation here. The ideas are engaging, and with more space for world-building and character development, future stories could be much stronger and more impactful.

Overall, while this book didn’t fully meet my expectations, readers who enjoy fast-paced romances and why-choose dynamics may still find it an enjoyable and easy read.

[Moonburst · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Dr. Kira Vale's research station's life support fails, she takes the risk of launching an emergency beacon. But instead of being picked up by her corporation's rescue service, a Zorathi pirate ship saves her. Kira is confident that she can't trust the four extremely handsome pirates, but she can't deny her attraction to them. It soon becomes clear that Kira might be connected to the pirates via the mysterious Tether. And she needs to decide what that means as her old job tries to force her into compliance.

Claimed by the Starbreaker is a fun reverse haram alien romance with interesting world building with corporate overlords and emotionally mature aliens. I appreciated that Kira is a nonsense science type who isn't just going to agree to any sort of bond. Her initial hesitance and insistence on knowing all about the aliens and the Tether made for an interesting character dynamic. I just wish a little more time was spent with Kira getting to know the pirates on a personal level.

An overall fun, quick read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claimed by the Starbreaker is an engaging Sci-Fi romance that is the first book of the author’s Pirate Chronicles.

The action begins for MFC Dr. Kira Vale when she is abandoned by the exploitative corporation she works for on a rapidly falling apart research habitat.

Having managed to get off a distress call she wonders who will arrive first before her oxygen runs out or she freezes to death.
Turns out its who she believes are Pirates but are not, and will soon change the course of her life.

Not being a big fan of reverse harem stories I am more than willing to dip the big toe into the waters on occasion, and I did find an entertaining one here as the four Zorathi Knights, Torvyn, Lyrin, Vaelix, Kaedren who arrive to rescue Kira belong to a species that bonds in fives and Kira just happens to turn out to be their fifth.

The writing was very pleasing with nicely crafted characters, humor, passion, danger from REAL Pirates, Corporate intrigue, and found family dynamics within a novella that was a spicy slow burn blend of good reading!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Plottwistpending · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Kira Vale is a scientist on a solo mission in a remote corner of space, working for a powerful corporation. She is brilliant, sassy, knows her worth, and is not afraid to stand her ground. When her space station is critically compromised, she sends out a distress signal, only for her company to renege on their promise to retrieve her within three hours. Her rescue instead comes from four formidable alien “pirates”: Torvyn, Lyrin, Kaedren, and Vaelix.

A lot is packed into this short story, but the setup, worldbuilding, and character introductions are handled really well. The plot is fun and fast-paced, and the relationship development is enjoyable. My one small note is that there are a few moments where information is dropped in as if the reader should already know it. I think this could have been excellent in a longer format, as the story and characters are strong enough to support more depth. That said, it is a solid and engaging start to a new series, and I am definitely looking forward to what comes next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[PalenMisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this thinking I'd just read the first chapter or two to get a feel for the story and then finish it another time, except I couldn't put it down and read it all in a single sitting. The story is a fun, sci-fi adventure mixed in with the development of a relationship between our five main characters. The story is told entirely from Kira's POV and she's a sassy, snarky narrator which I loved. Each of the other four characters have distinct personalities which made it easy to keep them separate in my head. There was also a lovely found family vibe layered over this entire story that made everything feel comforting as I read. I really enjoyed the world building in this one and I would definitely be interested in reading more about the Zorathi culture in future books. If you're looking for a neat sci-fi setting with a poly romance that's more focused on everyone learning about each other vs just heading straight for the spice, this is an excellent choice.

***I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.***

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claimed by Starbreaker is a scifi romance novella that goes down nice and easy, and for the most part fulfills expectations, thought I would say the steam is quite lighter then expected (all emotional language and lack of physical descriptions).

Story is playful with some imaginative worldbuilding, I like the FMC (spunky scientist) but given the short length it doesn't go all that deep. The main romance of the book is centered on "the tether" which is the emotional bond shared between the crew of "not pirates" on The Star Breaker.

Author was kind enough to be upfront that "Author Used AI", which i appreciate the honesty and wont judge the book too harshly for having some "AI-sims" in its language, mostly the over use "not X, not Y, but Z" type wording. That said, if you do not approve of AI assist then this book is probably not for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[sureshot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book thrust you into the perspective of Doctor Kira Vale. She’s working in space when something goes terrible wrong and she is in need of rescue. The scene here was good, but what go me into the story was Kira’s cynical and sarcastic attitude. She’s in a life-threatening situation, yet I laughed at the things she thought and said. Within pages, I already cared about this character. When she has her first interaction with her alien rescuers, her bumbling speech made me laugh. At this point, it was still her personality driving me on. Her interactions with the captain revealed more about her. The author does a great job establishing her wit and intelligence. She also seems a bit on the horny side, adding more intrigue to her character. There world building in this book is good. The storyline is good too. But the best thing about it is the main character reacting to the situation she is in and her own desires. I recommend this book to science fiction romance.

[Elle Sie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the unique premise of this saucy sci-fi story is what appealed to me; I had never read a reverse harem alien romance space story before and it was certainly entertaining. Dr Kira Vale, with PHDs in Stellar Physics and Astrobiology, was the heroine of the story. I wasn't entirely convinced by her character as a highly educated Xenobiologist; in fact she struck me as more of a hormonal teen with her thoughts often straying to the attractive blue skinned alien men in her vicinity, more than scientific jargon related to her profession, for example, but I found this book a fun and easy read. The villain of the story, Director Voss, added some good tension in the story which kept it moving aside from the romance, and things got steamy towards the end of the book with a spicy 'bonding' scene between the four male warriors Lyrin, Vaelix, Torvin, Kaedren along with Kira.

[Tehmeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬;
✮☁️𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝑶𝑽 (1𝒔𝒕 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏)
✮🖤𝑺𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏
✮☁️𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏 𝑷𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔
✮🖤𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒎/𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆
✮☁️𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕 & 𝑺𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒚 𝑭𝑴𝑪
✮🖤4 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝑴𝑪𝒔
✮☁️𝑵𝒐 𝑴𝑴
✮🖤𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔
✮☁️𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔
✮🖤𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆
✮☁️𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍
✮🖤𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒘-𝑩𝒖𝒓𝒏
✮☁️𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚
✮🖤𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔
✮☁️𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓

The storyline is well written and keeps the reader's hooked: Kira, the FMC, and a scientist, gets stranded on a remote alien planet. She's then rescued by four alien warriors, our MMCS, and they link to her by something called the "tether" - (which is one of my favourite tropes.) Their chemistry is amazing and they're protective over her.

I love alien romances! Add pirates, and I'm obsessing. Add four MMCs, and I'm officially turning pages like an add*ct. It's a short, fast-paced, and adventurous alien romance.

[Steph E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claimed by the Starbreaker: The Zorathi Pirate Chronicles by M.J. Evernight is a quick, fun read. That said, it’s unlikely I’ll reach for book two.
Part of the problem could have been the many characters introduced in such a short number of pages (I guess this is a “novella” rather than a novel). I can’t help but feel if this was fleshed out into a full-length book (possible, given the subject material), it might have offered an opportunity for me to connect with the protagonist.

The prose, to be honest, was a little bland and predictable for my taste. One of my mini pet peeves is “jaw tightens,” but there were many others: chill ran down my spine, chest tightened. And, inexplicably, the use of both British and American spelling (gray/grey). With a good edit, this might be more entertaining.

I was not a fan of the cover. It’s a bit generic for my taste.

[Zelda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I, too, was going to read the first few pages out of curiosity. Next thing I knew... "I was on the bridge of the Starbreaker." Can't say enough good about this book. Firstly, the cover caught my eye. Then the smoothness of the writing (with correct punctuation and spelling throughout!) and plot development kept me turning the pages. Loved how smart Kira...I mean Dr. Vale...is. And she had endless great comebacks and comments. The content was titillating in the right places but not eye-coveringly explicit. The evolution of the relationships was satisfying and everyone benefited from them in a great way. Gotta say, tho, I would love to have The Dress. I look forward to much more from this new author!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started as a fast paced adventure with Kira facing imminent death before her rescue. I don't normally like books that are launched at you like this, but here the pace quickly settles, the characters are allowed to develop and the whole way that the sci-fi world works is explained in a fine way.

There is plenty of humour, particularly from Kira. The drama and peril then blends back into the story as move towards the conclusion of the 1st book in the series. There is a budding polyamory romance with the aliens but the physical side is all very chaste.

I shall certainly look for book 2, but it may be difficult to keep the light charm from the early part of this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Indie · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it !! a good start for a new series !! love Kira, Torvyn, Lyrin, Vaelix and Kaedren...this is their story... a fun fast paced rom/drama.... Kira is trapped on a failing space habitat.. she's told to fix it herself or die... she's a scientist not an engineer.. she send out a distress signal hoping against hope... and the Zorathians answer... she thinks they are pirates... they are not !! they rescue and help those that are forgotten and forsaken... Zorathians bond with five... and she just so happens to be their fifth... ! so good !!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roberta Godoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of the sci-fi romance with characters that complement each other and form a family. But I feel that the story shouldn't have been divided into smaller books. I reached the end of the story wondering, where is the rest of the story? Then I remembered that this is the first in a series. So this book can be defined as an introduction to the story, to get to know the characters and a little about the "world" created, but now I'm waiting for the sequel to get the full story. I'm still waiting for the reverse harem that was promised in the book's description.

[Iluvbks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not an instant love book. There are no hot bedroom scenes. But there is an amazing story of bonding and trust and knowing what being free and love is. She is a scientist and they are not pirates! I liked how she kept calling the pirates and they kept telling her they were not . The bond of the knights was hard for her to accept. She is open with them and honest not only with them but herself as well. It was an enjoyable read I did not want to put it down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.