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Radiant Exception
The mission seemed simple:
Step One: Find the Phoenix.
Step Two: Kill the Phoenix.
Step Three: Collect insane bounty.
Step Four: Live happily ever after.
In the depths of space, Lark Sterling has one mission: bring down the Phoenix, the elusive leader of a criminal syndicate responsible for the tragic loss of her family. After years of relentless pursuit, a covert opportunity arises—one that could provide her with the revenge she seeks. But it comes with one condition: she’ll have to pose as the wife of Captain Damian Vaughn, a decorated military hero with a brooding past, a strict preference for working alone, and secrets of his own.
With the Phoenix in their crosshairs, Lark and Vaughn must put their differences aside to navigate through a maze of secrets, lies, and their own burning chemistry, putting their reluctant partnership to the test. But in the shadows of their deadly mission, will their undeniable attraction ignite something more, or will their hidden scars and personal demons tear them apart before they can bring the Phoenix to justice?
Radiant Exception is a spicy standalone sci-fi mystery romance. HEA guaranteed.
Step One: Find the Phoenix.
Step Two: Kill the Phoenix.
Step Three: Collect insane bounty.
Step Four: Live happily ever after.
In the depths of space, Lark Sterling has one mission: bring down the Phoenix, the elusive leader of a criminal syndicate responsible for the tragic loss of her family. After years of relentless pursuit, a covert opportunity arises—one that could provide her with the revenge she seeks. But it comes with one condition: she’ll have to pose as the wife of Captain Damian Vaughn, a decorated military hero with a brooding past, a strict preference for working alone, and secrets of his own.
With the Phoenix in their crosshairs, Lark and Vaughn must put their differences aside to navigate through a maze of secrets, lies, and their own burning chemistry, putting their reluctant partnership to the test. But in the shadows of their deadly mission, will their undeniable attraction ignite something more, or will their hidden scars and personal demons tear them apart before they can bring the Phoenix to justice?
Radiant Exception is a spicy standalone sci-fi mystery romance. HEA guaranteed.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2026
About the author
A.J. Wynn
4 books70 followersAJ Wynn is a Southern California-based author who works in marketing professionally, but whose true passion lies in writing. Weaving captivating stories with romance, mystery, fantasy, and much more allows AJ to express her creativity and serves as a canvas for her boundless imagination. When not immersed in the world of words, AJ is an avid reader, book dragon, and interior decorating enthusiast. Her favorite cozy days are accompanied by a fresh cup of coffee and her faithful canine sidekick.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
May 21, 2026
Radiant Exception was such a fun read! It is fast-paced with a compelling mystery that will keep you turning the pages.
The dynamic between the main characters had a great balance. There was plenty of tension and longing with just the right amount of spice.
The character development really stood out, especially for the MMC. As a decorated war hero dealing with PTSD and panic attacks, his struggles felt thoughtfully handled and authentic. While the story doesn’t dive too deeply into his past, it reveals just enough to show how it shaped who he is in the present.
This was my first sci-fi read and it definitely did not disappoint. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery, sci-fi or romance!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Release Date: May 21, 2026
Tropes ✨:
Badass FMC
Possessive MMC
Dislike to lovers
Forced proximity
Fake marriage
He falls first
Only one bed
Sci-fi
Undercover mission + mystery
Spy romance
“my wife”
Representation:
PTSD/mental health rep
🖤: “Like gravity, I suddenly found myself in her orbit, helpless to pull away.”
Thank you to the author and Behind the Pages for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
The dynamic between the main characters had a great balance. There was plenty of tension and longing with just the right amount of spice.
The character development really stood out, especially for the MMC. As a decorated war hero dealing with PTSD and panic attacks, his struggles felt thoughtfully handled and authentic. While the story doesn’t dive too deeply into his past, it reveals just enough to show how it shaped who he is in the present.
This was my first sci-fi read and it definitely did not disappoint. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery, sci-fi or romance!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Release Date: May 21, 2026
Tropes ✨:
Badass FMC
Possessive MMC
Dislike to lovers
Forced proximity
Fake marriage
He falls first
Only one bed
Sci-fi
Undercover mission + mystery
Spy romance
“my wife”
Representation:
PTSD/mental health rep
🖤: “Like gravity, I suddenly found myself in her orbit, helpless to pull away.”
Thank you to the author and Behind the Pages for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
May 22, 2026
Thank you so much to the author for the gifted arc!
I’m so excited for more space romance! This was a very romance-forward story, and I loved the mystery driving the plot. Vaughn was everything to me, and I’m beyond obsessed with him and Lark! AND THAT “WHERE IS MY WIFE” MOMENT. The forced proximity/arranged marriage in this one is peak.
I do wish there had been more sci fi elements beyond it simply taking place on a space ship. I still really enjoyed it, but it definitely felt like the story would have been exactly the same under a different setting and nothing would really change. It would have been cool to have more sci fi elements in the story!
There was also a moment where I think we breezed by a traumatic event way too quickly with no real explanation of how things were resolved. It brought Lark and Vaughn closer together, but I was surprised that it was moved past with no explanation of how events unfolded. That was pretty much the only complaint tho! I really liked the rest of the plot.
I really enjoyed that this is a standalone, but it definitely left me wanting more! There were really interesting side characters I wanted to learn more about that gave me Firefly vibes, and I loved them. I also really appreciated the mental health representation in the story. Lark and Vaughn have been through so much, and I loved watching them learn to trust each other and let each other in.
This was a super quick read that I definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun sci fi romance mystery!
I’m so excited for more space romance! This was a very romance-forward story, and I loved the mystery driving the plot. Vaughn was everything to me, and I’m beyond obsessed with him and Lark! AND THAT “WHERE IS MY WIFE” MOMENT. The forced proximity/arranged marriage in this one is peak.
I do wish there had been more sci fi elements beyond it simply taking place on a space ship. I still really enjoyed it, but it definitely felt like the story would have been exactly the same under a different setting and nothing would really change. It would have been cool to have more sci fi elements in the story!
There was also a moment where I think we breezed by a traumatic event way too quickly with no real explanation of how things were resolved. It brought Lark and Vaughn closer together, but I was surprised that it was moved past with no explanation of how events unfolded. That was pretty much the only complaint tho! I really liked the rest of the plot.
I really enjoyed that this is a standalone, but it definitely left me wanting more! There were really interesting side characters I wanted to learn more about that gave me Firefly vibes, and I loved them. I also really appreciated the mental health representation in the story. Lark and Vaughn have been through so much, and I loved watching them learn to trust each other and let each other in.
This was a super quick read that I definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun sci fi romance mystery!
June 20, 2026
ARC Review
This was a fun read, it definitely kept me second guessing as the mystery was unfolding. I definitely wanted to know how as the story went on. The dynamics between the FMC and MMC was very fun and you can see the development as the story unfolds, as well as the banter and tension.
The FMC was very unpredictable and strong headed which made her a fun character to follow. We don’t get to see the past of both characters but we can see how that continues to influence their choices.
This was a fun read, it definitely kept me second guessing as the mystery was unfolding. I definitely wanted to know how as the story went on. The dynamics between the FMC and MMC was very fun and you can see the development as the story unfolds, as well as the banter and tension.
The FMC was very unpredictable and strong headed which made her a fun character to follow. We don’t get to see the past of both characters but we can see how that continues to influence their choices.
June 20, 2026
I won this in a giveaway
May 1, 2026
REVIEW OF ADVANCED READER COPY!
I think this was my first sci-fi read? But forced marriage, you had me there! What really kept me invested was the character dynamic especially the fact that he falls first (and fast). Their relationship had this mix of tension, humor, and vulnerability that made it really easy to get attached.
Alongside the romance, there’s a mystery element centered around a dangerous drug operation, giving it a bit of a WHO DONE IT feel. Watching them try to work together, while not always succeeding, added a layer of realism to their partnership that I appreciated. It wasn’t perfect, and that made it more engaging.
The banter was cute and enjoyable, the pacing kept me interested, and the spice was very much what I looked forward to in a good book.
Overall, this was an entertaining blend of sci-fi, romance, and mystery. Definitely worth the read if you enjoy forced proximity, emotional tension, and a bit of intrigue mixed in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2026
# Book Review: *Radiant Exception* by A. J. Wynn
**Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 Stars)**
I received a free copy of *Radiant Exception* from Behind the Pages LLC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable read with several strong elements that kept me engaged throughout the story. The novel offers an emotionally driven narrative filled with themes of self-discovery, resilience, and relationships, while also presenting characters that readers can connect with on an emotional level.
One of the highlights of the book was the character development. Wynn creates characters who feel flawed and realistic, which made their struggles and personal growth feel authentic. The emotional moments throughout the story were well written, and the relationships between the characters added depth to the overall narrative. The writing style was also easy to follow and descriptive enough to pull readers into the story without feeling overwhelming.
The book’s pacing worked well in some areas, especially during the more emotionally intense moments. There were scenes that genuinely held my attention and made me curious to see how the story would unfold. The themes of perseverance and identity were meaningful and gave the novel emotional weight.
However, while I enjoyed the book overall, there were aspects that kept it from being a higher rated read for me. Some plot points felt underdeveloped, and there were moments where the pacing was uneven. Certain conflicts or character arcs were resolved too quickly, leaving me wanting more depth and exploration. I also found myself wishing for stronger development from some of the secondary characters, as they had potential to add even more impact to the story.
Overall, I would give Radiant Exception a 3-star rating. While the novel had compelling emotional moments, relatable characters, and meaningful themes, some areas lacked the depth needed to make the story truly stand out for me. Still, readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional themes may find this to be a worthwhile read.
**Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 Stars)**
I received a free copy of *Radiant Exception* from Behind the Pages LLC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable read with several strong elements that kept me engaged throughout the story. The novel offers an emotionally driven narrative filled with themes of self-discovery, resilience, and relationships, while also presenting characters that readers can connect with on an emotional level.
One of the highlights of the book was the character development. Wynn creates characters who feel flawed and realistic, which made their struggles and personal growth feel authentic. The emotional moments throughout the story were well written, and the relationships between the characters added depth to the overall narrative. The writing style was also easy to follow and descriptive enough to pull readers into the story without feeling overwhelming.
The book’s pacing worked well in some areas, especially during the more emotionally intense moments. There were scenes that genuinely held my attention and made me curious to see how the story would unfold. The themes of perseverance and identity were meaningful and gave the novel emotional weight.
However, while I enjoyed the book overall, there were aspects that kept it from being a higher rated read for me. Some plot points felt underdeveloped, and there were moments where the pacing was uneven. Certain conflicts or character arcs were resolved too quickly, leaving me wanting more depth and exploration. I also found myself wishing for stronger development from some of the secondary characters, as they had potential to add even more impact to the story.
Overall, I would give Radiant Exception a 3-star rating. While the novel had compelling emotional moments, relatable characters, and meaningful themes, some areas lacked the depth needed to make the story truly stand out for me. Still, readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional themes may find this to be a worthwhile read.
May 21, 2026
5⭐️
So I need everyone to go pick this book up. Right. Now.
I haven't read many sci-fi romances so right away I was super intrigued and so excited to read this book and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. This was INCREDIBLE!!
I was already screaming and kicking my feet less than 20 pages in and already knew at that point that this was going to be a 5 star read for me. I could not put this down!! This book has been stuck in my head from the first chapter.
The romance in this was perfection! The banter, the TENSION, the spice, omg it was incredible. I love Vaughn and Lark so much and I loved seeing them open up more with each other and seeing their relationship grow closer.
The romance, the characters, the vibes, the setting, the plot. Every single second of this book was amazing and not once was I bored. Half the time I forgot I was even reading because I was so immersed in the story. 5 stars. Zero complaints. I feel like I need to scream at everyone I come across to read this. That's how good it is.
If you are a fan of sci-fi romance, forced proximity, fake marriage, one bed, and a possessive mmc and an incredible badass fmc, then you NEED this book!!
So I need everyone to go pick this book up. Right. Now.
I haven't read many sci-fi romances so right away I was super intrigued and so excited to read this book and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. This was INCREDIBLE!!
I was already screaming and kicking my feet less than 20 pages in and already knew at that point that this was going to be a 5 star read for me. I could not put this down!! This book has been stuck in my head from the first chapter.
The romance in this was perfection! The banter, the TENSION, the spice, omg it was incredible. I love Vaughn and Lark so much and I loved seeing them open up more with each other and seeing their relationship grow closer.
The romance, the characters, the vibes, the setting, the plot. Every single second of this book was amazing and not once was I bored. Half the time I forgot I was even reading because I was so immersed in the story. 5 stars. Zero complaints. I feel like I need to scream at everyone I come across to read this. That's how good it is.
If you are a fan of sci-fi romance, forced proximity, fake marriage, one bed, and a possessive mmc and an incredible badass fmc, then you NEED this book!!
May 21, 2026
4⭐️
My first sci-fi romance, and won’t be my last! Super fun ride, thank you Beyond the Pages and author AJ Wynn for the early copy to review.
M/F couple
Enthusiastic consent
Powerful FMC
Dislike to lovers
Fake marriage
Only one bed
PTSD/mental health rep
Undercover mission
The writing was fast-paced but perfect for the story. I really enjoyed the dual POV between Lark and Vaughn, especially at the start when the relationship is new. The way the two characters eventually fall in love and interact really reminds me of my own relationship! I also met my husband at work, and he treats me very similarly to the way Vaughn treats Lark. I’m a lucky girl! Having a spy mission as part of the story, while set in space, gave the story additional depth. Total win! I’m a big fan of this book.
My first sci-fi romance, and won’t be my last! Super fun ride, thank you Beyond the Pages and author AJ Wynn for the early copy to review.
M/F couple
Enthusiastic consent
Powerful FMC
Dislike to lovers
Fake marriage
Only one bed
PTSD/mental health rep
Undercover mission
The writing was fast-paced but perfect for the story. I really enjoyed the dual POV between Lark and Vaughn, especially at the start when the relationship is new. The way the two characters eventually fall in love and interact really reminds me of my own relationship! I also met my husband at work, and he treats me very similarly to the way Vaughn treats Lark. I’m a lucky girl! Having a spy mission as part of the story, while set in space, gave the story additional depth. Total win! I’m a big fan of this book.
May 22, 2026
This was a fun sci-fi romance! I am always a sucker for a good fake dating/fake marriage situation and this one was a fun twist on the trope.
Lark and Vaughn were enjoyable main characters and I really appreciated the way their relationship developed as they tried to solve the mystery together.
While the conclusion of their search to determine who was the Phoenix made sense, I found myself slightly disappointed with that part. The anti-capitalism message throughout though honestly made up for imthat though.
Overall I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good fake dating situation in a fun sci-fi mystery package.
Thanks to AJ Wynn and Behind the Pages for the ARC!
Lark and Vaughn were enjoyable main characters and I really appreciated the way their relationship developed as they tried to solve the mystery together.
While the conclusion of their search to determine who was the Phoenix made sense, I found myself slightly disappointed with that part. The anti-capitalism message throughout though honestly made up for imthat though.
Overall I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good fake dating situation in a fun sci-fi mystery package.
Thanks to AJ Wynn and Behind the Pages for the ARC!
May 20, 2026
Radiant Exception is a sci-fi mystery romance by A.J. Wynn.
ARC Review 4.5/5 stars
Publish Date: May 21, 2026
Lark Sterling has lost everything she loves to the corrupt corporation Meridian. When she’s given the opportunity to join a mission to take the company down, she will do whatever it takes to secure her spot on the ship, including an exception, a rare corporate marriage. She must work alongside her new husband, Captain Damian Vaughn, a man with a complicated past of his own.
What to expect
-Fake marriage
-Undercover mission
-Forced proximity
-Only one bed
-He falls first
-He calls her “trouble”
-Dual povs
-Standalone
This book took off right from the start and never stopped. I finished it in under 24 hours because I could not put it down! The story is fast paced, packed with mystery, and kept me guessing until the very end. And the banter between Vaughn and Lark was so good! I was kicking my feet the entire time.
"Being around Lark, I found myself opening up to her more than I had to most before her. It wasn't until I started to let her in that I realized how starved I was for connection on a deeper level."
Thank you to Behind the Pages and A.J. Wynn for the eARC of Radiant Exception.
I really enjoyed A.J.'s writing style and can't wait read more of her books.
ARC Review 4.5/5 stars
Publish Date: May 21, 2026
Lark Sterling has lost everything she loves to the corrupt corporation Meridian. When she’s given the opportunity to join a mission to take the company down, she will do whatever it takes to secure her spot on the ship, including an exception, a rare corporate marriage. She must work alongside her new husband, Captain Damian Vaughn, a man with a complicated past of his own.
What to expect
-Fake marriage
-Undercover mission
-Forced proximity
-Only one bed
-He falls first
-He calls her “trouble”
-Dual povs
-Standalone
This book took off right from the start and never stopped. I finished it in under 24 hours because I could not put it down! The story is fast paced, packed with mystery, and kept me guessing until the very end. And the banter between Vaughn and Lark was so good! I was kicking my feet the entire time.
"Being around Lark, I found myself opening up to her more than I had to most before her. It wasn't until I started to let her in that I realized how starved I was for connection on a deeper level."
Thank you to Behind the Pages and A.J. Wynn for the eARC of Radiant Exception.
I really enjoyed A.J.'s writing style and can't wait read more of her books.
May 15, 2026
Thank you to Behind the Pages for selecting me for the ARC team for this.
This was slightly out of my comfort zone as sci-fi isn’t really my thing but I ended up enjoying the heck out of the book. I loved that there was a mystery that needed to be solved and I loved our two main characters. Their banter was on par. I wish we had more banter from them. The only reason why this wasn’t a 5 star was because for my taste there were a few too many spicy scenes. But overall I had a great time with this book and I would definitely read more from this author.
This was slightly out of my comfort zone as sci-fi isn’t really my thing but I ended up enjoying the heck out of the book. I loved that there was a mystery that needed to be solved and I loved our two main characters. Their banter was on par. I wish we had more banter from them. The only reason why this wasn’t a 5 star was because for my taste there were a few too many spicy scenes. But overall I had a great time with this book and I would definitely read more from this author.
May 22, 2026
This was just so much fun. A steamy, spaceship, mystery, crime-solving, spy novel? Somehow came together perfectly.
I loved the reversal of gender stereotypes that was here. It was so good seeing a tall and sturdy woman who can handle herself and is confident in what she wants. And somehow even better seeing a man be vulnerable and scared and deal with panic attacks. Mental health doesn't care about gender!!!!!
This is the epitome of a book with spice, not a spicy book. Loved it.
I loved the reversal of gender stereotypes that was here. It was so good seeing a tall and sturdy woman who can handle herself and is confident in what she wants. And somehow even better seeing a man be vulnerable and scared and deal with panic attacks. Mental health doesn't care about gender!!!!!
This is the epitome of a book with spice, not a spicy book. Loved it.
June 18, 2026
5 Stars 🌟
Thank you to Behind the Pages for the ARC! ❤️
In this intriguing, sci-fi romance, we follow Lark and Vaughn on their journey navigating space, pretending to be married, and a tension-filled budding romance. This book was sweet, intense, and admittedly a bit sad as well. The mystery element of things was fun! I managed to predict who the traitor on board was from the moment they stepped onto the page. I had a sneaky suspicion, and was surprised to find out that I was proven correct! I'm rarely ever right! 😂 Radiant Exception is a book that I had tons of fun with and really enjoyed. Would recommend!
Thank you to Behind the Pages for the ARC! ❤️
In this intriguing, sci-fi romance, we follow Lark and Vaughn on their journey navigating space, pretending to be married, and a tension-filled budding romance. This book was sweet, intense, and admittedly a bit sad as well. The mystery element of things was fun! I managed to predict who the traitor on board was from the moment they stepped onto the page. I had a sneaky suspicion, and was surprised to find out that I was proven correct! I'm rarely ever right! 😂 Radiant Exception is a book that I had tons of fun with and really enjoyed. Would recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 ⭐️ Thank you to Behind the Pages for the ARC!
Vaughn and Lark are working together (begrudgingly) to uncover a spy aboard their ship while also being fake married.
This was fast-paced, entertaining, has great banter and an intriguing mystery.
I wish there was a little more backstory given as it felt like we were just thrown into the middle of the overall plot.
Tropes:
Fake marriage
One bed
Sci-fi/mystery
Forced proximity
Vaughn and Lark are working together (begrudgingly) to uncover a spy aboard their ship while also being fake married.
This was fast-paced, entertaining, has great banter and an intriguing mystery.
I wish there was a little more backstory given as it felt like we were just thrown into the middle of the overall plot.
Tropes:
Fake marriage
One bed
Sci-fi/mystery
Forced proximity
May 25, 2026
This turned insta-lovey pretty quickly.
It's average, I wasn't hooked onto the story, but skimmed through just to be get by.
It's average, I wasn't hooked onto the story, but skimmed through just to be get by.
June 30, 2026
It was okay. Nothing special but at least easy to read and very predictable.
May 28, 2026
Super fast-paced and cute space romance with a hint of mystery. Great if you’re trying to avoid or get out of a reading slump!
April 19, 2026
✨Radiant Exception✨
AJ has this amazing way of writing characters that I would literally follow around or continue to binge read about even their simple daily lives. As this book came to a close, I wasn’t ready. Like Chance and Violet in AJ’s dark academia, The Other Side, I found myself just loving being around these intricate and relatable characters. And I’m PROUD of AJ for her dive into sci-fi/fantasy AND dual POV!
In RE, we follow the POVs of our two MCs, Lark and Vaughn. When they are both assigned to a mission to uncover the leader of a deadly crime syndicate, who is lurking on Vaughn’s ship, they find themselves facing a fake marriage, a race against time, an old love interest, and a mystery criminal, but also unwelcome feelings. Lark and Vaughn must not only learn to work together, but also build trust, scheme, and address their hurts all in hopes of finding the identity of an organization that has deeply hurt so many.
AJ addresses PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, and grief so beautifully with delicate and intentional support. As usual, I LOVE the dynamics she creates within her relationships, communication, and spice. Every moment within their heads was sooo thoughtful and heartfelt. The found family was such a funny and lovely group and I had soooo much fun volleying back and forth between who I thought was the bad guy. It’s true; I’ll read anything by AJ.
Tropees you may find in RE are fake marriage, “my wife”, nickname, forced proximity, undercover mission, one bed, grumpy possessive MMC cinnamon roll, mystery, “good girl”, reluctance to lovers, he talks most in the bedroom 😮💨🤭, he falls first, grumpy x sunshine vibes, medium spice, PTSD/mental health rep, and a HEA.
AJ, thank you for once again letting me be an arc reader for you. This book is added to my favorites list alongside The Other Side. And thank you to Behind the Pages as well!
AJ has this amazing way of writing characters that I would literally follow around or continue to binge read about even their simple daily lives. As this book came to a close, I wasn’t ready. Like Chance and Violet in AJ’s dark academia, The Other Side, I found myself just loving being around these intricate and relatable characters. And I’m PROUD of AJ for her dive into sci-fi/fantasy AND dual POV!
In RE, we follow the POVs of our two MCs, Lark and Vaughn. When they are both assigned to a mission to uncover the leader of a deadly crime syndicate, who is lurking on Vaughn’s ship, they find themselves facing a fake marriage, a race against time, an old love interest, and a mystery criminal, but also unwelcome feelings. Lark and Vaughn must not only learn to work together, but also build trust, scheme, and address their hurts all in hopes of finding the identity of an organization that has deeply hurt so many.
AJ addresses PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, and grief so beautifully with delicate and intentional support. As usual, I LOVE the dynamics she creates within her relationships, communication, and spice. Every moment within their heads was sooo thoughtful and heartfelt. The found family was such a funny and lovely group and I had soooo much fun volleying back and forth between who I thought was the bad guy. It’s true; I’ll read anything by AJ.
Tropees you may find in RE are fake marriage, “my wife”, nickname, forced proximity, undercover mission, one bed, grumpy possessive MMC cinnamon roll, mystery, “good girl”, reluctance to lovers, he talks most in the bedroom 😮💨🤭, he falls first, grumpy x sunshine vibes, medium spice, PTSD/mental health rep, and a HEA.
AJ, thank you for once again letting me be an arc reader for you. This book is added to my favorites list alongside The Other Side. And thank you to Behind the Pages as well!
Review of advance copy received from Author
2-2.5 stars
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book, received as a member of the Behind the Pages ARC Team! All opinions are my own.
Radiant Exception started off strong, the first 25-30% of it really pulled me in! It started to decline around the 50% mark and I would say the decline plummeted around 75%.
First of all, I think the concept of the book is really sound! Contrary to what I find frustrating in a lot of books, I didn't feel there were gaping plot holes that drove me insane. Candidly what drove me insane here was primarily two things: 1) Telling, instead of showing, and, 2) Pacing.
1) There was really a lack of detail at parts that I think mattered, which also ties into the telling instead of showing. Lark's primary purpose for taking this mission is her do-or-die desire to hunt down the Phoenix and dismantle the Meridian for the deaths of her family, especially her twin brother. But despite the fact that this remains her entire purpose, she 1) claims the numbness she felt at her parents' murders was pretty much exactly what it felt like growing up with them, seemingly an unchanged emotion, as she was raised by nannies and the like, and 2) talks repeatedly about how she feels her brother's death was essentially like her own, yet not once could I actually FEEL the emotion about the loss of her twin.
We're told relatively little about him and get nearly almost all of the details about what he did with his life (only a page or so tbh) in the author's mad dash to wrap the story up as Lark puts everything together with ease.
Now onto her and Vaughn as characters. I didn't dislike his character but similarly to Lark, I really felt nothing for either of them. We're told so much about them through their own thoughts and views of each other, but I personally don't think we saw a ton in action that showed us what makes the characters themselves - most of this happened in the first 25% of the book, hence being pulled in then! We're told how horrible both of their lives have been, even given some examples, but none of those examples ever really incited any emotion in me.
PLEASE show us who your characters are, don't tell me, because the showing is what ultimately connects the reader to the book!
2) I found the pacing to be a little bit off putting. It started out at a decent rate, but very quickly after essentially two interactions between our two main characters, one of which went quite poorly, the second of which went quite poorly because Lark character almost got injured, suddenly we've fallen into territory where Vaughn feels so upset by that second interaction that he's seeing everything in such a different way he is suddenly in love with Lark, reflecting on how SHE is the one he wants to change for and he wants everything, despite the glaringly few interactions they've had? It went shockingly quickly from dislike to respect and head-over feels love, that it felt quite close to Insta-love, though I won't use that exact word since it wasn't within their first interaction (lol).
I am trying to be courteous and fair in the way I choose to review this book, but the last 25% of it I truly found to be so poorly written. It really felt like the author chose the most cliche choice possible in every single situation where a choice was required, and then wrote it out with almost next to no detail (again, telling us, never showing us) which made everything happen at a truly astounding rate and that frustrated me. The level of writing and care that felt present at other parts of the novel felt very, very absent during the last quarter of the book, as it seemed she just needed to throw something together and tie it off with a bow.
I'm not saying every novel needs to be a slow burn, but I beg of you, please have your characters interact in a meaningful way at least a couple of times before proclaiming life-changing love. And SHOW us who they are so I can feel it and sympathize with them. Telling me who they are is just frankly no good.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this book, received as a member of the Behind the Pages ARC Team! All opinions are my own.
Radiant Exception started off strong, the first 25-30% of it really pulled me in! It started to decline around the 50% mark and I would say the decline plummeted around 75%.
First of all, I think the concept of the book is really sound! Contrary to what I find frustrating in a lot of books, I didn't feel there were gaping plot holes that drove me insane. Candidly what drove me insane here was primarily two things: 1) Telling, instead of showing, and, 2) Pacing.
1) There was really a lack of detail at parts that I think mattered, which also ties into the telling instead of showing. Lark's primary purpose for taking this mission is her do-or-die desire to hunt down the Phoenix and dismantle the Meridian for the deaths of her family, especially her twin brother. But despite the fact that this remains her entire purpose, she 1) claims the numbness she felt at her parents' murders was pretty much exactly what it felt like growing up with them, seemingly an unchanged emotion, as she was raised by nannies and the like, and 2) talks repeatedly about how she feels her brother's death was essentially like her own, yet not once could I actually FEEL the emotion about the loss of her twin.
We're told relatively little about him and get nearly almost all of the details about what he did with his life (only a page or so tbh) in the author's mad dash to wrap the story up as Lark puts everything together with ease.
Now onto her and Vaughn as characters. I didn't dislike his character but similarly to Lark, I really felt nothing for either of them. We're told so much about them through their own thoughts and views of each other, but I personally don't think we saw a ton in action that showed us what makes the characters themselves - most of this happened in the first 25% of the book, hence being pulled in then! We're told how horrible both of their lives have been, even given some examples, but none of those examples ever really incited any emotion in me.
PLEASE show us who your characters are, don't tell me, because the showing is what ultimately connects the reader to the book!
2) I found the pacing to be a little bit off putting. It started out at a decent rate, but very quickly after essentially two interactions between our two main characters, one of which went quite poorly, the second of which went quite poorly because Lark character almost got injured, suddenly we've fallen into territory where Vaughn feels so upset by that second interaction that he's seeing everything in such a different way he is suddenly in love with Lark, reflecting on how SHE is the one he wants to change for and he wants everything, despite the glaringly few interactions they've had? It went shockingly quickly from dislike to respect and head-over feels love, that it felt quite close to Insta-love, though I won't use that exact word since it wasn't within their first interaction (lol).
I am trying to be courteous and fair in the way I choose to review this book, but the last 25% of it I truly found to be so poorly written. It really felt like the author chose the most cliche choice possible in every single situation where a choice was required, and then wrote it out with almost next to no detail (again, telling us, never showing us) which made everything happen at a truly astounding rate and that frustrated me. The level of writing and care that felt present at other parts of the novel felt very, very absent during the last quarter of the book, as it seemed she just needed to throw something together and tie it off with a bow.
I'm not saying every novel needs to be a slow burn, but I beg of you, please have your characters interact in a meaningful way at least a couple of times before proclaiming life-changing love. And SHOW us who they are so I can feel it and sympathize with them. Telling me who they are is just frankly no good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Easy 5 stars!
There is something about the way AJ writes that pulls me in completely. Her stories always feel vivid and alive, like I am right there with the characters, and this one was no exception. She has such a talent for balancing an intricate mystery with steamy romance, and she makes it feel effortless.
This story drops you straight into a world of space travel, missions, and a tightly knit crew aboard the ship Radiant. The world building is immersive without ever feeling overwhelming, which made it so easy to get invested right away. From the very start, there is tension simmering under everything, especially with the knowledge that someone on board is a mole.
Lark is the newly assigned chief engineer and Damian is the captain of the Radiant, and the dynamic between them is immediate chaos in the best way. Their first almost meeting is a disaster when he stands her up, and their actual first encounter is intense and unexpected. The tension only builds from there, especially when they discover minutes before launch that they have been assigned an exception, which means they are legally paired as a married couple for the mission… except they are not actually married, just forced to play the part. I loved this concept so much. It added stakes, pressure, and so much delicious tension right from the beginning.
The romance is everything I want in a slow burn. It is full of yearning, restraint, and moments that feel hard earned. Lark falls first, but when Damian falls, he falls hard. His protective side, especially when he leans into the whole “my wife” energy, was so satisfying to read. Their grumpy and sunshine dynamic worked so well, and the forced proximity only made everything more intense.
Beyond the romance, the mystery keeps you hooked. The undercover mission, the suspicion among the crew, and the added layer of Lark reconnecting with a childhood friend she lost touch with all build this constant sense of unease. I loved the found family aspect too. The crew felt real and grounded, which made the stakes feel even higher.
There are so many tropes packed in here, but they all work together seamlessly. Fake marriage, workplace romance, dislike to lovers, one bed, spy elements, undercover mission. It never feels like too much. It just feels like a story that knows exactly what it is doing.
AJ truly knocked it out of the park with this one. It had me completely hooked from start to finish. Easy five stars for me. And the fact that it is a standalone makes it even better. This is absolutely one to mark on your calendar if you love sci fi romance with tension, mystery, and unforgettable characters.
There is something about the way AJ writes that pulls me in completely. Her stories always feel vivid and alive, like I am right there with the characters, and this one was no exception. She has such a talent for balancing an intricate mystery with steamy romance, and she makes it feel effortless.
This story drops you straight into a world of space travel, missions, and a tightly knit crew aboard the ship Radiant. The world building is immersive without ever feeling overwhelming, which made it so easy to get invested right away. From the very start, there is tension simmering under everything, especially with the knowledge that someone on board is a mole.
Lark is the newly assigned chief engineer and Damian is the captain of the Radiant, and the dynamic between them is immediate chaos in the best way. Their first almost meeting is a disaster when he stands her up, and their actual first encounter is intense and unexpected. The tension only builds from there, especially when they discover minutes before launch that they have been assigned an exception, which means they are legally paired as a married couple for the mission… except they are not actually married, just forced to play the part. I loved this concept so much. It added stakes, pressure, and so much delicious tension right from the beginning.
The romance is everything I want in a slow burn. It is full of yearning, restraint, and moments that feel hard earned. Lark falls first, but when Damian falls, he falls hard. His protective side, especially when he leans into the whole “my wife” energy, was so satisfying to read. Their grumpy and sunshine dynamic worked so well, and the forced proximity only made everything more intense.
Beyond the romance, the mystery keeps you hooked. The undercover mission, the suspicion among the crew, and the added layer of Lark reconnecting with a childhood friend she lost touch with all build this constant sense of unease. I loved the found family aspect too. The crew felt real and grounded, which made the stakes feel even higher.
There are so many tropes packed in here, but they all work together seamlessly. Fake marriage, workplace romance, dislike to lovers, one bed, spy elements, undercover mission. It never feels like too much. It just feels like a story that knows exactly what it is doing.
AJ truly knocked it out of the park with this one. It had me completely hooked from start to finish. Easy five stars for me. And the fact that it is a standalone makes it even better. This is absolutely one to mark on your calendar if you love sci fi romance with tension, mystery, and unforgettable characters.
Review of advance copy
AJ Wynn has done it again.
I ended up loving this book but let's be honest, there was never really a doubt in my mind about that. I loved Lark and Vaughn and their banter and quips and the obvious fact that they were meant to be together from the start.
Talking about the characters, I appreciated how Vaughn was a former soldier dealing with guilt and anxiety and PTSD and how that had him try to pretend he didn't care but had managed to find a crew that accepted him and could help him when he needed it. I loved how strong Lark was, how she was able to use her knowledge and skills to keep the crew safe while working on a mission to avenge her brother. I also loved how her intelligence had her not only able to be the best to help to figure out who was villain of the book but she was also able to think through her emotions which allowed her to open up to Vaughn and take a leap of faith that someone would not only catch but stick around after to be sure she was okay. This couple was swoon-worthy and they earned every moment they had together on the page.
The way this story unfolded kept me turning pages, wanting to find out the answers to the questions I had while at the same time smiling at the antics of our two leads. Pacing was steady, giving readers a chance to learn and understand the world and the threat that Lark and Vaughn were trying to find on the ship. Another helpful tool was the fact that this was written with a dual point-of-view and I have to say, I hope Wynn decides to give readers more chances to see inside the minds of each lead character in her books from now on because so much of this story worked because of the insight given into both leads.
The reveals about the the mystery and the main perpetrator was given a chance to grow naturally, each hint working to keep readers on their toes. I had my suspicions but Wynn was able to keep the answer from being obvious until the finale. And can I just say, the restraint that Lark had while dealing with the culprit made me want to stand up and applaud because I would have sent the villain out of an air-lock with a big smile on my face.
As for the potential for sequels, I have to say that Radiant Exception feels like it has the setup for some interesting future adventures. Here's me officially crossing my fingers for the slightest chance that AJ Wynn decides to revisit this world. I'll be waiting here patiently to see if that pans out.
Read this book if your a fan of Sci-Fi adventures mixed with enough romance to make you forget where you are while reading.
I ended up loving this book but let's be honest, there was never really a doubt in my mind about that. I loved Lark and Vaughn and their banter and quips and the obvious fact that they were meant to be together from the start.
Talking about the characters, I appreciated how Vaughn was a former soldier dealing with guilt and anxiety and PTSD and how that had him try to pretend he didn't care but had managed to find a crew that accepted him and could help him when he needed it. I loved how strong Lark was, how she was able to use her knowledge and skills to keep the crew safe while working on a mission to avenge her brother. I also loved how her intelligence had her not only able to be the best to help to figure out who was villain of the book but she was also able to think through her emotions which allowed her to open up to Vaughn and take a leap of faith that someone would not only catch but stick around after to be sure she was okay. This couple was swoon-worthy and they earned every moment they had together on the page.
The way this story unfolded kept me turning pages, wanting to find out the answers to the questions I had while at the same time smiling at the antics of our two leads. Pacing was steady, giving readers a chance to learn and understand the world and the threat that Lark and Vaughn were trying to find on the ship. Another helpful tool was the fact that this was written with a dual point-of-view and I have to say, I hope Wynn decides to give readers more chances to see inside the minds of each lead character in her books from now on because so much of this story worked because of the insight given into both leads.
The reveals about the the mystery and the main perpetrator was given a chance to grow naturally, each hint working to keep readers on their toes. I had my suspicions but Wynn was able to keep the answer from being obvious until the finale. And can I just say, the restraint that Lark had while dealing with the culprit made me want to stand up and applaud because I would have sent the villain out of an air-lock with a big smile on my face.
As for the potential for sequels, I have to say that Radiant Exception feels like it has the setup for some interesting future adventures. Here's me officially crossing my fingers for the slightest chance that AJ Wynn decides to revisit this world. I'll be waiting here patiently to see if that pans out.
Read this book if your a fan of Sci-Fi adventures mixed with enough romance to make you forget where you are while reading.
May 22, 2026
I was lucky enough to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of Radiant Exception by AJ Wynn and am giving my honest review.
Radiant Exception follows main characters Lark and Vaughn as they investigate the crew of The Radiant, hunting for the infamous criminal The Phoenix. The Phoenix has been the guiding force in a criminal enterprise by the name of Meridian and is responsible for major tragedies and losses for both our main characters. In order to get Lark placed on Vaughn's ship, they are secured an Exception- this universe's version of a marriage that is rarely granted, and never issued to a person more than once.
Both motivated to put an end to Meridian and identify The Phoenix, Lark and Vaughn clash heads at first, the latter too stubborn to take the help and the former endlessly amused at pushing his buttons to produce an amusing response. I loved Vaughn's nickname for Lark "Trouble" and it made me smile.
Though time progresses quickly in this short story, the mutual attraction and pull between the two main characters establishes itself even quicker. Forced proximity and sharing just one bed fuels the sparks of their attraction and connection, allowing them to start being vulnerable with one another and start healing from the aching grief and loneliness they both posses.
The mystery of who is The Phoenix gripped my interest and I felt that the clues were presented naturally. While I did correctly guess who The Phoenix was early on, there were other elements and involvements that I did not guess and found added to the story.
Overall, Radiant Exception was a fun, short read with likeable main and side characters and a satisfying ending.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Tropes I enjoyed:
⭐️ Forced Proximity
⭐️ Reluctant Allies
⭐️ Marriage Of Convenience
⭐️ He Falls First And Hardest
⭐️ Mental Health Representation
⭐️ Just One Bed
⭐️ “Where is my wife!?”
⭐️ Anti-Capitalist Messages
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Favorite quotes:
Unfortunately, the system was a capitalist hellscape long before Starlane existed and would continue to be long after.
If she knew how close I was to fucking that attitude right out of her, she might have pushed harder.
“How you’ve made me crave your kind of chaos is beyond me, but I won’t settle for anything less than all of you.”
“Where is my wife!?”
“Do me a favor…” His dark gaze met mine as he placed gentle kisses along the inside of my thigh, starting at my knee. I could only nod to encourage him to continue. “Don’t be quiet.” His tone was that of a command.
Radiant Exception follows main characters Lark and Vaughn as they investigate the crew of The Radiant, hunting for the infamous criminal The Phoenix. The Phoenix has been the guiding force in a criminal enterprise by the name of Meridian and is responsible for major tragedies and losses for both our main characters. In order to get Lark placed on Vaughn's ship, they are secured an Exception- this universe's version of a marriage that is rarely granted, and never issued to a person more than once.
Both motivated to put an end to Meridian and identify The Phoenix, Lark and Vaughn clash heads at first, the latter too stubborn to take the help and the former endlessly amused at pushing his buttons to produce an amusing response. I loved Vaughn's nickname for Lark "Trouble" and it made me smile.
Though time progresses quickly in this short story, the mutual attraction and pull between the two main characters establishes itself even quicker. Forced proximity and sharing just one bed fuels the sparks of their attraction and connection, allowing them to start being vulnerable with one another and start healing from the aching grief and loneliness they both posses.
The mystery of who is The Phoenix gripped my interest and I felt that the clues were presented naturally. While I did correctly guess who The Phoenix was early on, there were other elements and involvements that I did not guess and found added to the story.
Overall, Radiant Exception was a fun, short read with likeable main and side characters and a satisfying ending.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Tropes I enjoyed:
⭐️ Forced Proximity
⭐️ Reluctant Allies
⭐️ Marriage Of Convenience
⭐️ He Falls First And Hardest
⭐️ Mental Health Representation
⭐️ Just One Bed
⭐️ “Where is my wife!?”
⭐️ Anti-Capitalist Messages
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Favorite quotes:
Unfortunately, the system was a capitalist hellscape long before Starlane existed and would continue to be long after.
If she knew how close I was to fucking that attitude right out of her, she might have pushed harder.
“How you’ve made me crave your kind of chaos is beyond me, but I won’t settle for anything less than all of you.”
“Where is my wife!?”
“Do me a favor…” His dark gaze met mine as he placed gentle kisses along the inside of my thigh, starting at my knee. I could only nod to encourage him to continue. “Don’t be quiet.” His tone was that of a command.
Review of advance copy
I knew I’d love Radiant Exception, and I absolutely did. I was so excited for it going in, and it delivered exactly what I was hoping for: an undercover mission, a fake marriage, a mystery on board, and let’s be real we’re here for the romance, and it was swoon-worthy perfection.
Lark has a mission: infiltrate the Radiant, find the Phoenix, and make him pay. Should be simple enough. Her partner is the ship’s captain, Damien Vaughn tall, dark, and brooding, an ex-military man who is absolutely everything she can’t be bothered with. A distraction she is not looking for. And thanks to the mission, her new “exception,” otherwise known as her husband… well, shit.
This was such a fun read. The story was seamless and flowed really well. It’s a shorter book, but the pacing worked perfectly without sacrificing plot or character development. The characters were endearing and engaging, each with their own backstory that I honestly wanted more of.
Lark was epic. Having worked undercover with covert ops before, she knows how to handle herself. She’s confident and smart, knows how to manipulate, gather information, and make you think you’re in control, spoiler, you’re not. But she carries scars from her past, having lost everyone to the Phoenix, and instead of breaking her, it fuels her. It’s made her sharper, more adaptable, and more determined. Vaughn never stood a chance.
Vaughn is a military man through and through, carrying his own demons. He never wanted more and never expected to survive long enough to have it. So when Lark is suddenly on his ship, in his space, he has no time for the temptation she becomes. But this stiff, stoic man starts to shift, starts to feel. He begins thinking about more… being more. She’s pulling him out of the haze he’s been living in, and now he’s planning on keeping her.
This was just such a good one. Both characters are strong-willed, forced to loosen their grip a little and learn to trust each other in order to complete the mission. And in doing so, they allow themselves to let someone in, someone who fits, someone who makes them feel safe and whole. The way Vaughn sees Lark, treats her, and ultimately loves her? Ugh. I’ll definitely be picking this up again.
Thank you so much to A.J. Wynn and Behind The Pages for this gifted copy.
Lark has a mission: infiltrate the Radiant, find the Phoenix, and make him pay. Should be simple enough. Her partner is the ship’s captain, Damien Vaughn tall, dark, and brooding, an ex-military man who is absolutely everything she can’t be bothered with. A distraction she is not looking for. And thanks to the mission, her new “exception,” otherwise known as her husband… well, shit.
This was such a fun read. The story was seamless and flowed really well. It’s a shorter book, but the pacing worked perfectly without sacrificing plot or character development. The characters were endearing and engaging, each with their own backstory that I honestly wanted more of.
Lark was epic. Having worked undercover with covert ops before, she knows how to handle herself. She’s confident and smart, knows how to manipulate, gather information, and make you think you’re in control, spoiler, you’re not. But she carries scars from her past, having lost everyone to the Phoenix, and instead of breaking her, it fuels her. It’s made her sharper, more adaptable, and more determined. Vaughn never stood a chance.
Vaughn is a military man through and through, carrying his own demons. He never wanted more and never expected to survive long enough to have it. So when Lark is suddenly on his ship, in his space, he has no time for the temptation she becomes. But this stiff, stoic man starts to shift, starts to feel. He begins thinking about more… being more. She’s pulling him out of the haze he’s been living in, and now he’s planning on keeping her.
This was just such a good one. Both characters are strong-willed, forced to loosen their grip a little and learn to trust each other in order to complete the mission. And in doing so, they allow themselves to let someone in, someone who fits, someone who makes them feel safe and whole. The way Vaughn sees Lark, treats her, and ultimately loves her? Ugh. I’ll definitely be picking this up again.
Thank you so much to A.J. Wynn and Behind The Pages for this gifted copy.
May 21, 2026
3.75 stars
I flew through Radiant Exception. This is one of those books that felt incredibly bingeable from start to finish, and I genuinely didn’t want to put it down.
The combination of fake marriage, forced proximity, undercover mission tension, and a possessive emotionally damaged captain MMC was basically engineered in a lab for me 😭
What surprised me most though was how emotionally grounded the romance became beneath all the chemistry and action. Vaughn and Lark’s relationship evolves through grief, trust, shared trauma, quiet routines, and vulnerability just as much as attraction. By the second half, the little moments honestly became some of my favorites — the messages, the codebreaking together, the panic attack scenes, the protectiveness, the way they slowly became each other’s safe place without fully realizing it.
Vaughn was definitely the standout for me. Underneath the intimidating captain persona and all the “my wife” energy is someone deeply lonely and terrified of losing the first person who’s made him want more than survival. His emotional vulnerability ended up hitting harder for me than the spice itself.
I also really enjoyed how the story blended sci-fi romance with romantic suspense/mystery elements. The conspiracy plot kept the pacing moving quickly, and the book constantly gave me “just one more chapter” energy.
That said, I do think the standalone format worked both for and against the story a little. I loved how quickly everything moved and never felt bored, but there were also several moments I wish had a little more room to breathe emotionally. Some of the reveals and relationship beats happened so fast that I found myself wanting more time with the characters, the crew dynamics, and the fallout from certain twists.
Overall though, this was such an entertaining read with strong chemistry, emotional vulnerability, addictive pacing, and a romance that really worked for me by the end. Definitely recommend if you love:
fake marriage
forced proximity
possessive MMCs
spy/military romance vibes
trauma healing arcs
“touch her and die”
emotionally messy people falling in love in space 🚀
I flew through Radiant Exception. This is one of those books that felt incredibly bingeable from start to finish, and I genuinely didn’t want to put it down.
The combination of fake marriage, forced proximity, undercover mission tension, and a possessive emotionally damaged captain MMC was basically engineered in a lab for me 😭
What surprised me most though was how emotionally grounded the romance became beneath all the chemistry and action. Vaughn and Lark’s relationship evolves through grief, trust, shared trauma, quiet routines, and vulnerability just as much as attraction. By the second half, the little moments honestly became some of my favorites — the messages, the codebreaking together, the panic attack scenes, the protectiveness, the way they slowly became each other’s safe place without fully realizing it.
Vaughn was definitely the standout for me. Underneath the intimidating captain persona and all the “my wife” energy is someone deeply lonely and terrified of losing the first person who’s made him want more than survival. His emotional vulnerability ended up hitting harder for me than the spice itself.
I also really enjoyed how the story blended sci-fi romance with romantic suspense/mystery elements. The conspiracy plot kept the pacing moving quickly, and the book constantly gave me “just one more chapter” energy.
That said, I do think the standalone format worked both for and against the story a little. I loved how quickly everything moved and never felt bored, but there were also several moments I wish had a little more room to breathe emotionally. Some of the reveals and relationship beats happened so fast that I found myself wanting more time with the characters, the crew dynamics, and the fallout from certain twists.
Overall though, this was such an entertaining read with strong chemistry, emotional vulnerability, addictive pacing, and a romance that really worked for me by the end. Definitely recommend if you love:
fake marriage
forced proximity
possessive MMCs
spy/military romance vibes
trauma healing arcs
“touch her and die”
emotionally messy people falling in love in space 🚀
May 20, 2026
Our story begins with Lark Sterling a brilliant chief engineer who’s one mission in life is to end the Phoenix who is the leader of a criminal organization called Meridian who’s responsible for her parents & brother’s deaths, after years of trying to bring down Meridian on her own, Lark gets an offer she can’t refuse, she must go undercover posing as the wife of Captain Damian Vaughn a handsome and broody military hero with lots of secrets of his own and a preference to work alone.
After being forced to work together Vaughn and Lark must navigate Meridian’s secrets and lies but most important of all the feelings they start to develop for each other, as the lines between them start getting blurry their chemistry is undeniable, can it turn into something more or is their relationship destined to implode before they bring the Phoenix and Meridian to justice?
Let me start by saying I read this book in 2 days! From the very start I was trying to figure out the identity of the Phoenix, literally everyone had motives and automatically became a suspect which made the book that much more exciting. The book was fast paced and had lots of plot twists and so much tension that it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved watching Lark and Vaughn’s relationship evolve from forced allies into so much more. I also Loved how as we got deeper into the book Vaughn’s walls began to crumble and he became so vulnerable with Stark that he openly shared his PTSD struggles and panic attacks with her which I felt was so important cause mental health and representation matters so much. I truly liked that he is portrayed as a tough military MMC yet there was so much character growth and vulnerability on his part.
Favorite quote:
🚀“Like gravity, I suddenly found myself in her orbit, helpless to pull away.”
If you enjoy a good spicy sci-fi mystery romance then this is the book for you! Thank you so much to the author and Behind the Pages for the ARC to this incredible story!
After being forced to work together Vaughn and Lark must navigate Meridian’s secrets and lies but most important of all the feelings they start to develop for each other, as the lines between them start getting blurry their chemistry is undeniable, can it turn into something more or is their relationship destined to implode before they bring the Phoenix and Meridian to justice?
Let me start by saying I read this book in 2 days! From the very start I was trying to figure out the identity of the Phoenix, literally everyone had motives and automatically became a suspect which made the book that much more exciting. The book was fast paced and had lots of plot twists and so much tension that it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved watching Lark and Vaughn’s relationship evolve from forced allies into so much more. I also Loved how as we got deeper into the book Vaughn’s walls began to crumble and he became so vulnerable with Stark that he openly shared his PTSD struggles and panic attacks with her which I felt was so important cause mental health and representation matters so much. I truly liked that he is portrayed as a tough military MMC yet there was so much character growth and vulnerability on his part.
Favorite quote:
🚀“Like gravity, I suddenly found myself in her orbit, helpless to pull away.”
If you enjoy a good spicy sci-fi mystery romance then this is the book for you! Thank you so much to the author and Behind the Pages for the ARC to this incredible story!
May 26, 2026
📖Radiant Exception
By AJ Wynn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨Undercover Mission
✨Possessive MMC
✨Badass FMC
✨Fake Marriage
✨Dislike to Lovers
✨Forced Proximity
✨He Falls First
I was fortunate enough to have been chosen for the 📖Radiant Exception ARC team! Truly blessed and loved having the opportunity to experience this book with the other members of the team and as well as AJ Wynn.
Let’s dive deep into this review, I f🤬ing loved this book! Couldn’t put it down! I loved the combination of tragedy turned into vengeance where the undercover mission allowed fate to land the two main characters into a fake marriage turned romance. I enjoyed how all these tropes played off each other making it a book you couldn’t put down.
✨Captain✨
Damian Vaughn
✨Chief Engineer✨
Lark Sterling
The FMC Lark is just a total bada$$, isn’t afraid to speak her mind, intelligent, hardworking, undercover spy? How could the Captain not fall first for this woman. Especially after the scene when the engine started malfunctioning. Whoever read this book knows exactly what I’m referring to. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Now let’s discuss our war vet, Captain Vaughn. I loved this guy from the start. Just such a angry grump who is incredibly misunderstood and has never had a single person give him the love and intimacy he was unaware he craved until he was forced to share the same bed as his new wife Lark. There journey during this book kept you on the edge of your seat begging for them to give in to each other. Devoured it. 😈
This book was fantastic, the plot was incredible, and fast paced. The whole time reading this, I kept changing my mind on who had done it, I’m a sucker for a mystery! By the end when the mic dropped and you got the answers I was blown away! I don’t give spoilers but everyone, please read this book! Sci-fi romance, who would have thought it would become a genre I would love 🖤🖤
Thank you again,
Jordan
@readinkedrepeat
By AJ Wynn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨Undercover Mission
✨Possessive MMC
✨Badass FMC
✨Fake Marriage
✨Dislike to Lovers
✨Forced Proximity
✨He Falls First
I was fortunate enough to have been chosen for the 📖Radiant Exception ARC team! Truly blessed and loved having the opportunity to experience this book with the other members of the team and as well as AJ Wynn.
Let’s dive deep into this review, I f🤬ing loved this book! Couldn’t put it down! I loved the combination of tragedy turned into vengeance where the undercover mission allowed fate to land the two main characters into a fake marriage turned romance. I enjoyed how all these tropes played off each other making it a book you couldn’t put down.
✨Captain✨
Damian Vaughn
✨Chief Engineer✨
Lark Sterling
The FMC Lark is just a total bada$$, isn’t afraid to speak her mind, intelligent, hardworking, undercover spy? How could the Captain not fall first for this woman. Especially after the scene when the engine started malfunctioning. Whoever read this book knows exactly what I’m referring to. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Now let’s discuss our war vet, Captain Vaughn. I loved this guy from the start. Just such a angry grump who is incredibly misunderstood and has never had a single person give him the love and intimacy he was unaware he craved until he was forced to share the same bed as his new wife Lark. There journey during this book kept you on the edge of your seat begging for them to give in to each other. Devoured it. 😈
This book was fantastic, the plot was incredible, and fast paced. The whole time reading this, I kept changing my mind on who had done it, I’m a sucker for a mystery! By the end when the mic dropped and you got the answers I was blown away! I don’t give spoilers but everyone, please read this book! Sci-fi romance, who would have thought it would become a genre I would love 🖤🖤
Thank you again,
Jordan
@readinkedrepeat
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a fun and fast-paced read! A sci-fi romance standalone (although I could totally read more set in this overall world) with a nice blend of romance and mystery.
First of all - I love the title, it's a mix of the ship's name and "exception" is the term for getting clearance for a married couple to stay together on the same ship. Fans of fake marriage will eat this one up!
Lark goes undercover to try and stop a crime organization that has ties to the death of her family. To do so, she goes as the the ship's captain's wife. Vaughn is grumpy, terse - but also kinda secretly a teddy bear who definitely falls first. I loved him.
There is fun banter in this, a nice mix of characters - who are also suspects in who is helping the crime organization communicate, and a bit of danger and mystery as Lark and Vaughn work towards uncovering who is involved. Both Lark and Vaughn have trauma and pasts that they must heal from; Vaughn especially is afraid of being hurt.
I would say that the main thing that hurt this read for me is that some things felt a bit....surface? level for me, in terms of characterization depth and getting to know characters. I wish there had been a bit more when Lark was working towards learning more about the crew and who might be involved, something to give more weight and risk feels to the mystery.
Sci-fi can be daunting because I feel like you need a lot of world building and setting the scene to make it feel - hah - grounded. And I don't know if this book, being a quick read standalone, got down to it enough for me, if that makes sense.
However, for those who do want a romance with light sci-fi elements and a focus on the couple, I recommend you give this one a try!
I received an arc from the author for an instagram tour; my thoughts are my own.
First of all - I love the title, it's a mix of the ship's name and "exception" is the term for getting clearance for a married couple to stay together on the same ship. Fans of fake marriage will eat this one up!
Lark goes undercover to try and stop a crime organization that has ties to the death of her family. To do so, she goes as the the ship's captain's wife. Vaughn is grumpy, terse - but also kinda secretly a teddy bear who definitely falls first. I loved him.
There is fun banter in this, a nice mix of characters - who are also suspects in who is helping the crime organization communicate, and a bit of danger and mystery as Lark and Vaughn work towards uncovering who is involved. Both Lark and Vaughn have trauma and pasts that they must heal from; Vaughn especially is afraid of being hurt.
I would say that the main thing that hurt this read for me is that some things felt a bit....surface? level for me, in terms of characterization depth and getting to know characters. I wish there had been a bit more when Lark was working towards learning more about the crew and who might be involved, something to give more weight and risk feels to the mystery.
Sci-fi can be daunting because I feel like you need a lot of world building and setting the scene to make it feel - hah - grounded. And I don't know if this book, being a quick read standalone, got down to it enough for me, if that makes sense.
However, for those who do want a romance with light sci-fi elements and a focus on the couple, I recommend you give this one a try!
I received an arc from the author for an instagram tour; my thoughts are my own.
May 24, 2026
I'm so grateful to AJ Wynn and Behind the Pages PA for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader for this book!
I'm not a big sci-fi reader so I went in to this not knowing what to expect. I knew immediately that I was obsessed and I absolutely loved every second! I was immediately pulled in to the mission and the mystery. There are so many different layers to the story and I really enjoyed trying to unravel the secrets. I was constantly trying to come up with theories and find the link I was missing, AJ Wynn did an amazing job at pulling me in and making it feel like I was a part of it.
I knew I was going to love the characters, but I didn't expect how quickly I would fall for all of them! They are so deeply written, hiding their wounds and trying to stay strong. Lark is brilliant and passionate, but her trauma holds her back in such a brutal way. Vaughn is in every way her counter. Broody and commanding, with matching levels of darkness that he was never allowed himself to feel. Their relationship is contentious at first, their banter and tension is breathtaking. I love the slow trust they gain, which is befitting to their characters. I was so emotional when they finally find their peace in each other and start to heal. And the "MY WIFE moment (*SWOON*). I'm so invested in these characters it's not even funny. The rest of the crew were also an absolute delight, I would be thrilled to see more of their stories and shenanigans.
I adored this read so much. It's a quick paced story with a heavy focus on romance. The spice was fantastic. The character growth was top tier. There really was nothing I didn't love about this. I'm still giddy thinking about their interactions and I couldn't put it down once I started. I will be reading more from this author!
I'm not a big sci-fi reader so I went in to this not knowing what to expect. I knew immediately that I was obsessed and I absolutely loved every second! I was immediately pulled in to the mission and the mystery. There are so many different layers to the story and I really enjoyed trying to unravel the secrets. I was constantly trying to come up with theories and find the link I was missing, AJ Wynn did an amazing job at pulling me in and making it feel like I was a part of it.
I knew I was going to love the characters, but I didn't expect how quickly I would fall for all of them! They are so deeply written, hiding their wounds and trying to stay strong. Lark is brilliant and passionate, but her trauma holds her back in such a brutal way. Vaughn is in every way her counter. Broody and commanding, with matching levels of darkness that he was never allowed himself to feel. Their relationship is contentious at first, their banter and tension is breathtaking. I love the slow trust they gain, which is befitting to their characters. I was so emotional when they finally find their peace in each other and start to heal. And the "MY WIFE moment (*SWOON*). I'm so invested in these characters it's not even funny. The rest of the crew were also an absolute delight, I would be thrilled to see more of their stories and shenanigans.
I adored this read so much. It's a quick paced story with a heavy focus on romance. The spice was fantastic. The character growth was top tier. There really was nothing I didn't love about this. I'm still giddy thinking about their interactions and I couldn't put it down once I started. I will be reading more from this author!
Review of advance copy received from Author
It’s been a while since I dipped back into sci-fi, the genre that originally made me fall in love with reading, and Radiant Exception turned out to be the perfect re-entry point. Science fiction mixed with crime, mystery, and just a touch of romance? Yes please. This was such a fun read.
Let’s start with why this is a 4 star instead of 5, because it’s honestly a me thing. The romance felt a little rushed to me. But given that this is a shorter book compared to the absolute doorstoppers I usually read, it makes sense that things had to move a bit faster to fit everything in. It didn’t ruin the story for me at all, just something I noticed.
Now, the good stuff.
The plot? I loved it. Our FMC goes undercover to take down a crime syndicate, yes, not the most original setup, but after living in fantasy worlds full of court politics and intrigue, this felt like a breath of fresh air. And the way AJ Wynn built the crime syndicate actually made sense. It felt believable, which made it that much more engaging.
I did kind of see the twist coming, but I still enjoyed the ride getting there, which says a lot.
The characters were a huge highlight. Lark and Vaughn are both dealing with trauma in very different ways, and watching them navigate that, and their own healing, was really compelling. And their dynamic? I loved it. Lark irritating Vaughn felt very familiar in the best way, like watching my own relationship play out on page.
And the side characters?? Loved them. The found family element added so much warmth and personality to the story.
Is it perfect? Almost.
Is it fun, engaging, and something I’ll absolutely recommend? 100% yes.
Let’s start with why this is a 4 star instead of 5, because it’s honestly a me thing. The romance felt a little rushed to me. But given that this is a shorter book compared to the absolute doorstoppers I usually read, it makes sense that things had to move a bit faster to fit everything in. It didn’t ruin the story for me at all, just something I noticed.
Now, the good stuff.
The plot? I loved it. Our FMC goes undercover to take down a crime syndicate, yes, not the most original setup, but after living in fantasy worlds full of court politics and intrigue, this felt like a breath of fresh air. And the way AJ Wynn built the crime syndicate actually made sense. It felt believable, which made it that much more engaging.
I did kind of see the twist coming, but I still enjoyed the ride getting there, which says a lot.
The characters were a huge highlight. Lark and Vaughn are both dealing with trauma in very different ways, and watching them navigate that, and their own healing, was really compelling. And their dynamic? I loved it. Lark irritating Vaughn felt very familiar in the best way, like watching my own relationship play out on page.
And the side characters?? Loved them. The found family element added so much warmth and personality to the story.
Is it perfect? Almost.
Is it fun, engaging, and something I’ll absolutely recommend? 100% yes.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"You make me nervous," he confessed softly, "So you're going to be a good girl and let me be in control." By A.J. Wynn
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ||🌶🌶
Honestly? I wasn't immediately sold on this and initially I thought it was a me problem, but later I realised some things hit and they are only okay, and that's... okay. Y'know when your previous read is so good that it prevents you from fully embracing the next one? Yea. That's where I was when I started Radient Exception. So I get it, I wasn't fully unbiased going in. When it got going, it was fine, however. It's a cutesy sci- fi mystery romance. They are on a space ship, she is undercover, they have to pretend to be essentially married. The goal? Catch the Phoenix- a baddie who is running some sort of intergalactic drugs ring and is directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of her entire family. The premise is pretty good and I liked it. It had potential to be amazing though but it just wasn't fleshed out enough for me. There was little to no world- building or character introduction and the main characters went from, I don't like him/ her but she/he's hot, to I AM IN LOVE, with barely a conversation between them. I just didn't buy it. Everything seemed to move quite quickly and predictably - don't get me wrong, I had a good time... but it was all only fine. If you want an easy, intergalactic space romance with a little spice and a plot that is easy to follow, this is for you. I was just slightly disappointed because it had potential to be so much more than it was.
Thank you to @behindthepagesLLC for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ||🌶🌶
Honestly? I wasn't immediately sold on this and initially I thought it was a me problem, but later I realised some things hit and they are only okay, and that's... okay. Y'know when your previous read is so good that it prevents you from fully embracing the next one? Yea. That's where I was when I started Radient Exception. So I get it, I wasn't fully unbiased going in. When it got going, it was fine, however. It's a cutesy sci- fi mystery romance. They are on a space ship, she is undercover, they have to pretend to be essentially married. The goal? Catch the Phoenix- a baddie who is running some sort of intergalactic drugs ring and is directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of her entire family. The premise is pretty good and I liked it. It had potential to be amazing though but it just wasn't fleshed out enough for me. There was little to no world- building or character introduction and the main characters went from, I don't like him/ her but she/he's hot, to I AM IN LOVE, with barely a conversation between them. I just didn't buy it. Everything seemed to move quite quickly and predictably - don't get me wrong, I had a good time... but it was all only fine. If you want an easy, intergalactic space romance with a little spice and a plot that is easy to follow, this is for you. I was just slightly disappointed because it had potential to be so much more than it was.
Thank you to @behindthepagesLLC for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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