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The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly)
He thinks she’s the most dangerous thing in the galaxy.
She thinks they’re friends.
They are both correct.
Lily has killed exactly one person, stolen exactly one spaceship, and is having, by her own estimation, an excellent year.
After spending two galactic years stranded with only her ship’s AI for company, Lily finally lands a job aboard a luxury alien vessel. She wants stability. A fresh start. Maybe even a friend.
What she gets is Khar.
Former Intergalactic Legion warrior.
Apex predator of his species.
Completely convinced he’s the most formidable being in every room he enters.
He’s not wrong.
Until Lily accidentally starts ruining his life.
His unbeatable gym record? Gone.
His flawless work performance? Hers now.
His peace of mind? Rapidly deteriorating.
Forced to work together, Khar can’t decide what’s more dangerous: her effortless ability to outperform him at everything... or the fact that she has no idea she’s doing it.
Lily is just excited to have made a friend.
Khar knows better.
Because for his species, attachment isn’t a feeling.
It’s biological.
Permanent.
Possessive.
And once it begins, there’s no stopping it.
As danger closes in and Lily’s past catches up with her, Khar must decide whether to protect the woman destroying his carefully controlled life, or lose her forever.
The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly) is a spicy sci-fi romance featuring rivals-to-lovers tension, forced proximity, fated mates, a dangerously competent heroine, a possessive alien hero, chaotic banter, and a jealous AI with opinions. Guaranteed HEA.
Book 1 of Mates, Mayhem and the IMPERIUM. Each book follows a new couple. No cliffhanger.
She thinks they’re friends.
They are both correct.
Lily has killed exactly one person, stolen exactly one spaceship, and is having, by her own estimation, an excellent year.
After spending two galactic years stranded with only her ship’s AI for company, Lily finally lands a job aboard a luxury alien vessel. She wants stability. A fresh start. Maybe even a friend.
What she gets is Khar.
Former Intergalactic Legion warrior.
Apex predator of his species.
Completely convinced he’s the most formidable being in every room he enters.
He’s not wrong.
Until Lily accidentally starts ruining his life.
His unbeatable gym record? Gone.
His flawless work performance? Hers now.
His peace of mind? Rapidly deteriorating.
Forced to work together, Khar can’t decide what’s more dangerous: her effortless ability to outperform him at everything... or the fact that she has no idea she’s doing it.
Lily is just excited to have made a friend.
Khar knows better.
Because for his species, attachment isn’t a feeling.
It’s biological.
Permanent.
Possessive.
And once it begins, there’s no stopping it.
As danger closes in and Lily’s past catches up with her, Khar must decide whether to protect the woman destroying his carefully controlled life, or lose her forever.
The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly) is a spicy sci-fi romance featuring rivals-to-lovers tension, forced proximity, fated mates, a dangerously competent heroine, a possessive alien hero, chaotic banter, and a jealous AI with opinions. Guaranteed HEA.
Book 1 of Mates, Mayhem and the IMPERIUM. Each book follows a new couple. No cliffhanger.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2026
About the author
Veronique deSol
2 books21 followersVeronique deSol started writing during one of the harder seasons of her life. The hard season passed. The writing didn't.
Something shifted in the process: as her characters stumbled toward each other across impossible distances, she found herself rediscovering something she'd almost lost, a quiet respect and wonder for what people are capable of. Her heroes don't arrive whole. They get there through the harrowing parts, and they come out changed. So did she.
Her sci-fi romance is spicy, character-driven, and deeply committed to the idea that love is not the soft option. It's the hardest and most radical thing in the universe. She thinks you already know that. She's just writing it down.
Something shifted in the process: as her characters stumbled toward each other across impossible distances, she found herself rediscovering something she'd almost lost, a quiet respect and wonder for what people are capable of. Her heroes don't arrive whole. They get there through the harrowing parts, and they come out changed. So did she.
Her sci-fi romance is spicy, character-driven, and deeply committed to the idea that love is not the soft option. It's the hardest and most radical thing in the universe. She thinks you already know that. She's just writing it down.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 7, 2026
I received an ARC from the author, opinions are always my own.
This was such a fun read! Lilly gets kidnapped from earth and has to learn to survive in the wider galaxy, while also falling for a hot horned alien? I'm in!
I would personally classify this one less as a science fiction book and more as a romance that happens to take place in a science fiction setting. The romance very much takes center stage and the wider plot is limited. The 'fight' scènes are less fleshed out and follow a more tell than show type of writing that, in my opinion, detaches you from the character. You are told what happened, in stead of experiencing it through Lilly's eyes. The romantic scenes were much better and definitely had me kicking my feet a lot.
While it wasn't perfect, I would still highly recommend this one to fans of spicy🔥 romance. The plot is not complicated and the romance takes center stage, so don't let the idea of science fiction deter you. Overall I had a lot of fun and don't think you can go wrong with this one if you just want to read something lighter and be sure of the HEA like you would be in traditional romance.
This was such a fun read! Lilly gets kidnapped from earth and has to learn to survive in the wider galaxy, while also falling for a hot horned alien? I'm in!
I would personally classify this one less as a science fiction book and more as a romance that happens to take place in a science fiction setting. The romance very much takes center stage and the wider plot is limited. The 'fight' scènes are less fleshed out and follow a more tell than show type of writing that, in my opinion, detaches you from the character. You are told what happened, in stead of experiencing it through Lilly's eyes. The romantic scenes were much better and definitely had me kicking my feet a lot.
While it wasn't perfect, I would still highly recommend this one to fans of spicy🔥 romance. The plot is not complicated and the romance takes center stage, so don't let the idea of science fiction deter you. Overall I had a lot of fun and don't think you can go wrong with this one if you just want to read something lighter and be sure of the HEA like you would be in traditional romance.
Did Not Finish
August 23, 2026DNF at 49%
It had such a good start, I was all in... In this book humans were actually naturally stronger than the rest of the aliens and it was such an interesting take... I loved that the FMC was stronger than the MMC and how outraged he felt at that as he's always been the strongest... It was really funny how he tried to win against her but she beat him effortlessly and most of the time without realizing it was a competition...
Then we get him imprinting on her and for his kind that means transforming and adapting to be compatible with his mate...
Now, with the way things were going I totally thought that we were going the route of getting a different reproductive appendage and him trying to figure out how to use it, but nope... He didn't change much outwardly, they were already sexually compatible... He actually got stronger, and not only enough to match her strength, no, no... He was stronger than her, he could easily defeat her now... And all of my interest flew out the window... 😔
I tried to read a hit more but once they got together it just went into dom/sub like dynamic and I'm not interested in that, it just bores me.
Sad, really... The premise was exactly what I like.
It had such a good start, I was all in... In this book humans were actually naturally stronger than the rest of the aliens and it was such an interesting take... I loved that the FMC was stronger than the MMC and how outraged he felt at that as he's always been the strongest... It was really funny how he tried to win against her but she beat him effortlessly and most of the time without realizing it was a competition...
Then we get him imprinting on her and for his kind that means transforming and adapting to be compatible with his mate...
Now, with the way things were going I totally thought that we were going the route of getting a different reproductive appendage and him trying to figure out how to use it, but nope... He didn't change much outwardly, they were already sexually compatible... He actually got stronger, and not only enough to match her strength, no, no... He was stronger than her, he could easily defeat her now... And all of my interest flew out the window... 😔
I tried to read a hit more but once they got together it just went into dom/sub like dynamic and I'm not interested in that, it just bores me.
Sad, really... The premise was exactly what I like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a very reluctant 3-star reading, but most of it may have been my own vibes with this book.
If you're looking for a sci-fi romance, you actually can't get better than this. It absolutely delivers on the sci-fi aspect, the world building, and the MMC being an actual alien-looking protagonist, not a thinly veiled alien. From beginning to end, the sci-fi parts are really great.
Where the book fell apart for me was the almost episodic feeling to all the scenes. Once Khar and Lily met, the scenes moved so fast that it didn't feel like the relationship was being properly developed. It's maybe more tell than show, which is really disappointing. Khar was so extra in the beginning (in the best way possible) when it came to trying to establish his superiority, but that vibe of comedy just disappeared once he realized who Lily was to him. After that, it was a quick jump to them talking about being engaged and having kids - at the 50% mark of the book! Where was the plot even supposed to go from there?
I struggled with this book after Khar went all-in with Lily (that's not a bad thing, but there was a complete lack of tension in the story). The writing is still good, but the dialogue was stilted and formal. And while there were a number of spicy scenes, they didn't really hit high on the spice meter (and, in fact, some felt like checkboxes to try to make it spicy).
So, would I recommend this? Maybe. If you're looking for a sci-fi romance that doesn't skip out on the sci-fi elements, this is going to hit that mark for you. If you're looking for more romance that focuses a bit more on the characters, this could maybe work.
Some of my favorite scenes:
And this one:
Helpful tags: science fiction romance, futuristic, alien abduction, alien MMC, dual POV, first person POV, first in series, medium heat, medium paced
This is a very reluctant 3-star reading, but most of it may have been my own vibes with this book.
If you're looking for a sci-fi romance, you actually can't get better than this. It absolutely delivers on the sci-fi aspect, the world building, and the MMC being an actual alien-looking protagonist, not a thinly veiled alien. From beginning to end, the sci-fi parts are really great.
Where the book fell apart for me was the almost episodic feeling to all the scenes. Once Khar and Lily met, the scenes moved so fast that it didn't feel like the relationship was being properly developed. It's maybe more tell than show, which is really disappointing. Khar was so extra in the beginning (in the best way possible) when it came to trying to establish his superiority, but that vibe of comedy just disappeared once he realized who Lily was to him. After that, it was a quick jump to them talking about being engaged and having kids - at the 50% mark of the book! Where was the plot even supposed to go from there?
I struggled with this book after Khar went all-in with Lily (that's not a bad thing, but there was a complete lack of tension in the story). The writing is still good, but the dialogue was stilted and formal. And while there were a number of spicy scenes, they didn't really hit high on the spice meter (and, in fact, some felt like checkboxes to try to make it spicy).
So, would I recommend this? Maybe. If you're looking for a sci-fi romance that doesn't skip out on the sci-fi elements, this is going to hit that mark for you. If you're looking for more romance that focuses a bit more on the characters, this could maybe work.
Some of my favorite scenes:
A being that looked like something a Divani child might invent to ward off night terrors, yet stronger and faster than the most famous Divani warrior. With puny claws. With skin that behaved like armor.
And hydrochloric acid sloshing around inside.
In that moment Khar accepted he had been defeated.
He needed no further proof from Lily to know his claim to superiority was gone, irrevocably.
And this one:
"That won't be necessary," Khar said. "Now let me do my second favorite thing in life, which is extracting obscene amounts of money from a billionaire. One question. Who set your pay? Horos or Vegrun?"
"Horos."
Khar smiled. Now he knew exactly how to frame it.
As he turned toward the control room to place the call, Lily stopped him.
"What's your first favorite thing?"
He glanced back over his shoulder.
"You are."
Helpful tags: science fiction romance, futuristic, alien abduction, alien MMC, dual POV, first person POV, first in series, medium heat, medium paced
May 21, 2026
She thinks she’s found a friend. He knows he’s found his mate.
Lily survives being stolen from Earth and rebuilds herself among the stars with only a loyal, opinionated ship for company. By the time she meets Khar, she isn’t waiting to be rescued. She wants purpose, work, maybe connection, and has no idea the most feared male in the room is already measuring himself against her.
Khar is former Legion, Divani, and used to being the strongest thing anywhere he stands. Then Lily starts breaking his records, matching his pace, and slipping through his defenses with dry humor and accidental tenderness. Rivalry turns into something deeper, stranger, and harder to control.
Lily thinks she’s made a friend. Khar knows he’s falling, and it terrifies him almost as much as it consumes him. Their power struggle shifts into trust, heat, and intimacy. He wants to protect her, but she refuses to be treated like something fragile.
When danger closes in, it finds a survivor, a jealous ship, a devoted warrior, and a bond already too deep to break quietly.
Lily learns to trust her desire without losing herself. Khar shifts from an arrogant warrior into a mate who values surrender, tenderness, and her agency more than being the strongest. Together, they turn rivalry into trust, obsession into chosen devotion, and danger into home.
An ultra-steamy, alien-human, rivals to lovers romance with fated mates, forced proximity, obsessive devotion, found family, a jealous sentient ship, and a competent heroine who refuses to be treated like something fragile. It’s about survival, autonomy, trust, identity, power, intimacy, trauma, transformation, and the strange relief of being wanted without being diminished.
The Elevator Pitch: A human survivor with a stolen ship and a dangerous talent for being underestimated collides with an alien warrior who has never had reason to doubt his own strength. What begins as rivalry turns into a bond neither of them can control, forcing pride, hunger, and trust into the same charged space. But in a galaxy built on power, survival, and possession, choosing each other may be the most dangerous act of all.
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥 Ultra-Steamy / Erotic Romance
Lily survives being stolen from Earth and rebuilds herself among the stars with only a loyal, opinionated ship for company. By the time she meets Khar, she isn’t waiting to be rescued. She wants purpose, work, maybe connection, and has no idea the most feared male in the room is already measuring himself against her.
Khar is former Legion, Divani, and used to being the strongest thing anywhere he stands. Then Lily starts breaking his records, matching his pace, and slipping through his defenses with dry humor and accidental tenderness. Rivalry turns into something deeper, stranger, and harder to control.
Lily thinks she’s made a friend. Khar knows he’s falling, and it terrifies him almost as much as it consumes him. Their power struggle shifts into trust, heat, and intimacy. He wants to protect her, but she refuses to be treated like something fragile.
When danger closes in, it finds a survivor, a jealous ship, a devoted warrior, and a bond already too deep to break quietly.
Lily learns to trust her desire without losing herself. Khar shifts from an arrogant warrior into a mate who values surrender, tenderness, and her agency more than being the strongest. Together, they turn rivalry into trust, obsession into chosen devotion, and danger into home.
An ultra-steamy, alien-human, rivals to lovers romance with fated mates, forced proximity, obsessive devotion, found family, a jealous sentient ship, and a competent heroine who refuses to be treated like something fragile. It’s about survival, autonomy, trust, identity, power, intimacy, trauma, transformation, and the strange relief of being wanted without being diminished.
The Elevator Pitch: A human survivor with a stolen ship and a dangerous talent for being underestimated collides with an alien warrior who has never had reason to doubt his own strength. What begins as rivalry turns into a bond neither of them can control, forcing pride, hunger, and trust into the same charged space. But in a galaxy built on power, survival, and possession, choosing each other may be the most dangerous act of all.
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥 Ultra-Steamy / Erotic Romance
August 7, 2026
2.5 stars. Because it is written quite fluently. Actually, 1.5 stars, because the story is pretty poor in many respects.
It starts off promisingly, but implausibly. An Earth woman would be so much stronger than a highly muscular alien, even though she is fairly average but healthy, because of Earth’s high gravity. That’s a contradiction. A person who grew up on a planet with such high gravity that she is stronger than a highly muscular alien would have to be highly muscular herself.
But who knows, it might be possible.
So she’s independent, knows what she wants – a likeable main character.
Then she gets involved with Khar, and suddenly she’s submissive; the sex scenes are a bit S&M-ish, and she’s suddenly no longer strong and independent.
What’s more, it’s impossible to count how many times it’s mentioned that Lilly is so incredibly important to Khar.
When everything finally works out, she starts trouble again by doubting herself and Khar in a rather implausible way.
All in all, there are too many annoying inconsistencies and repetitions for this to be a good book.
It starts off promisingly, but implausibly. An Earth woman would be so much stronger than a highly muscular alien, even though she is fairly average but healthy, because of Earth’s high gravity. That’s a contradiction. A person who grew up on a planet with such high gravity that she is stronger than a highly muscular alien would have to be highly muscular herself.
But who knows, it might be possible.
So she’s independent, knows what she wants – a likeable main character.
Then she gets involved with Khar, and suddenly she’s submissive; the sex scenes are a bit S&M-ish, and she’s suddenly no longer strong and independent.
What’s more, it’s impossible to count how many times it’s mentioned that Lilly is so incredibly important to Khar.
When everything finally works out, she starts trouble again by doubting herself and Khar in a rather implausible way.
All in all, there are too many annoying inconsistencies and repetitions for this to be a good book.
October 3, 2026
this was a 4 start for me right up until the 70% mark when it went completely off the rails.
Up until that point, the biggest issue was pacing. Suddenly a bunch of new characters that added nothing to the plot were shoehorned in, a (kind of?) new romantic interest popped up, and the MCs started acting like totally different characters. The tone change gave me whiplash. Hopefully the next book in the series deals with some of the clutter because the premise was fun and the characters had chemistry (until they randomly had their personalities erased near the end for some reason)
Up until that point, the biggest issue was pacing. Suddenly a bunch of new characters that added nothing to the plot were shoehorned in, a (kind of?) new romantic interest popped up, and the MCs started acting like totally different characters. The tone change gave me whiplash. Hopefully the next book in the series deals with some of the clutter because the premise was fun and the characters had chemistry (until they randomly had their personalities erased near the end for some reason)
June 17, 2026
Ah I had such high hopes for this read and yes it was good but I felt like bits could have been better!
The FMC starts out as such a strong character, how she conquers everything thats been thrown at her and takes control of the situation *trying not to give spoilers* but then as soon as the MMC gets involved its like she stopped being seen as the strong character... just my opinion.
I also felt like their relationship was a little rushed, for example yes they're mates and it scifi romance this is usually a thing but all of a sudden engagement was thrown in to the mix which almost felt a little random.
Overall it was okay, but I wouldn't read anymore in the series.
The FMC starts out as such a strong character, how she conquers everything thats been thrown at her and takes control of the situation *trying not to give spoilers* but then as soon as the MMC gets involved its like she stopped being seen as the strong character... just my opinion.
I also felt like their relationship was a little rushed, for example yes they're mates and it scifi romance this is usually a thing but all of a sudden engagement was thrown in to the mix which almost felt a little random.
Overall it was okay, but I wouldn't read anymore in the series.
August 6, 2026
Loved the “Humans are space orcs” aspect of the story. Unfortunately I couldn’t get past the tell not show writing. For most of the story, I didn’t get the impression the Lily loved Khar, like Khar loved Lily plus the shoved in third act “breakup” (although it’s not really a breakup,more just a fight). Helios was a major part of the third act but didn’t even seem like more than a ship until we got his POV and then we found out he loved Lily too in the span of three paragraphs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2026
DNF at 41%. Didn’t seem to have a plot yet, even 40% into it other than them going about their lives. And he was an ass at first, obsessed with putting everyone else down to show he’s the strongest, then took the most abrupt 180 to fawning simp. And she was a Mary Sue who was perfect at everything, knew everything, and loved by everyone. It was boring.
Did Not Finish
July 15, 2026DNF 25%. I really loved the premise. This sounds like a weird reason but I kept getting pulled out because the voice of the FMC was uneven. If the book was reedited with a more consistent voice, I know I'd enjoy it.
August 8, 2026
I’m shocked this doesn’t have hundreds of reviews. I had an absolute blast reading it! Her not realizing just how much she was absolutely crushing him was absolutely hysterical. And then we got action and danger to add to the comedy and spice! I’m looking forward to what this author writes next!
November 3, 2026
Who doesn’t love a little workplace romance?
I absolutely loved this book- what a refreshing contribution to the alien abduction genre. Watching Khar change from egotistical maniac to lovesick seducer to empathetic husband was so hot and our FMC Lily is smart, adaptable, realistic, compassionate and fun. The perfect amount of spice and relationship growth with action and zany world building. The book is so fun because it flips the classic dynamic on its head as we see Khar, who is an alpha by specifies and audacity, slowly realize that the human female is stronger, smarter and tougher than him in every way that matters and when he finally lets go of the need to be on top, true freedom washes over him and opens him up emotionally to the narrative because that’s what love does- frees us from expectation to be ourselves. We watch his rivalry turn into attraction and friendship, then the imprinting bond happens later and it made so much sense because his species doesn’t experience that unless they become submissive. Just such a funny and smart play on the usual tropes that usually prioritize exploitive possessive masculinity typical in alien romance. I can’t wait to read the whole series and enjoy as all these characters continue to evolve. I also really liked the dual perspective on Lily’s abduction - she both grows more herself living on her ship and also has ptsd from her abduction- a realistic and intriguing reaction that many aliens romances also gloss over. Such a fun read- push it to the top of your TBR if you want to have the strongest reading list in the galaxy!
“I believe this: to die for my queen is immortal glory. And I do so love glory.”
I absolutely loved this book- what a refreshing contribution to the alien abduction genre. Watching Khar change from egotistical maniac to lovesick seducer to empathetic husband was so hot and our FMC Lily is smart, adaptable, realistic, compassionate and fun. The perfect amount of spice and relationship growth with action and zany world building. The book is so fun because it flips the classic dynamic on its head as we see Khar, who is an alpha by specifies and audacity, slowly realize that the human female is stronger, smarter and tougher than him in every way that matters and when he finally lets go of the need to be on top, true freedom washes over him and opens him up emotionally to the narrative because that’s what love does- frees us from expectation to be ourselves. We watch his rivalry turn into attraction and friendship, then the imprinting bond happens later and it made so much sense because his species doesn’t experience that unless they become submissive. Just such a funny and smart play on the usual tropes that usually prioritize exploitive possessive masculinity typical in alien romance. I can’t wait to read the whole series and enjoy as all these characters continue to evolve. I also really liked the dual perspective on Lily’s abduction - she both grows more herself living on her ship and also has ptsd from her abduction- a realistic and intriguing reaction that many aliens romances also gloss over. Such a fun read- push it to the top of your TBR if you want to have the strongest reading list in the galaxy!
“I believe this: to die for my queen is immortal glory. And I do so love glory.”
November 1, 2026
This was really fun. Interesting characters. Very sneaky social commentary.
I recommend 👌
More detailed review eventually
I recommend 👌
More detailed review eventually
June 5, 2026
4.5⭐️
Listen... I tend to have trust issues, and I don't usually accept ARCs for debut books. Why? The requests I've received tend to be for genres I do not dabble in.
HOWEVER... Veronique slid into my DMs via social media and said: Sci Fi Romance. Umm... spicy alien romance? Hell yes!
And my dudes, when I tell you this story is one of the best I've read as an ARC... I kid you not.
Lily is 'napped from Earth by an alien, but somehow, she manages to "unalive" him and gains access to his really cool spaceship with a sentient AI system, whom she names Helios. She then spends the next couple of years acclimating to "space life" and bonding with Helios until the day comes when she has to find a job. She applies for this position aboard a billionaire's luxury spacecraft as part of the maintenance crew. And there she meets Khar 😍
Khar is literally one of the best MMCs ever - green flags all around with a splash of possessiveness. The emotional intelligence this dude has? Unmatched. At first, he felt really annoyed and threatened by Lily since his species thrives on meritocracy and competing for who's the best. And my girl literally bests him at everything without even trying.
Veronique also gave me a great FMC. Lily is smart, tech-savvy & resourceful, stands on her own two feet... an overall badass.
The world-building in this book was so good: detailed enough but not too overwhelming. The story was easy to follow, had a great pace, and was funny. I found myself giggling the entire time. For a book written in the 3rd person, it was excellent. And the spice?! Yessssss, listen HE ADAPTS TO HER... OK?!
The only reason The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly) missed the 5⭐ mark for me was because of the ending. After the book's major conflict, I felt like the last 20% dragged on a bit especially since Lily all of a sudden had this freak out over Khar's feelings for her.
Here's a list of tropes I was able to identify:
☀️ Grumpy / Sunshine
❤️ Mate Bonds
💻 Workplace romance
💘 He falls first
👩🏻🚀 Human fascination
I am definitely looking forward to book two of the series!!!
Listen... I tend to have trust issues, and I don't usually accept ARCs for debut books. Why? The requests I've received tend to be for genres I do not dabble in.
HOWEVER... Veronique slid into my DMs via social media and said: Sci Fi Romance. Umm... spicy alien romance? Hell yes!
And my dudes, when I tell you this story is one of the best I've read as an ARC... I kid you not.
Lily is 'napped from Earth by an alien, but somehow, she manages to "unalive" him and gains access to his really cool spaceship with a sentient AI system, whom she names Helios. She then spends the next couple of years acclimating to "space life" and bonding with Helios until the day comes when she has to find a job. She applies for this position aboard a billionaire's luxury spacecraft as part of the maintenance crew. And there she meets Khar 😍
Khar is literally one of the best MMCs ever - green flags all around with a splash of possessiveness. The emotional intelligence this dude has? Unmatched. At first, he felt really annoyed and threatened by Lily since his species thrives on meritocracy and competing for who's the best. And my girl literally bests him at everything without even trying.
Veronique also gave me a great FMC. Lily is smart, tech-savvy & resourceful, stands on her own two feet... an overall badass.
The world-building in this book was so good: detailed enough but not too overwhelming. The story was easy to follow, had a great pace, and was funny. I found myself giggling the entire time. For a book written in the 3rd person, it was excellent. And the spice?! Yessssss, listen HE ADAPTS TO HER... OK?!
The only reason The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly) missed the 5⭐ mark for me was because of the ending. After the book's major conflict, I felt like the last 20% dragged on a bit especially since Lily all of a sudden had this freak out over Khar's feelings for her.
Here's a list of tropes I was able to identify:
☀️ Grumpy / Sunshine
❤️ Mate Bonds
💻 Workplace romance
💘 He falls first
👩🏻🚀 Human fascination
I am definitely looking forward to book two of the series!!!
August 14, 2026
This is a really enjoyable read and I enjoyed the experience it took me on. I’m a lover of sci fi so when you add some spice to it I enjoy it even more. The characters worked so well together and I loved their connection. I also liked how the plot didn’t get lost amongst the spice as I know sometimes the spice can overwhelm the story. This is my first book read by this author and it is a good start to a series, I look forward to reading the next one. ☺️
August 5, 2026
This was a lovely book! Can't wait for the series to continue.
August 3, 2026
Low Drama Action Fun
I thought this was a blast! There is just enough drama to keep the story moving with plenty of action and a little bit of intrigue.
I thought this was a blast! There is just enough drama to keep the story moving with plenty of action and a little bit of intrigue.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Slow-Burn Alien Romance with Sharp AI Philosophy, Inventive Biology, and a Heroine Who Redefines Strength
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.75 rounded up)
I am genuinely stunned that this is a debut. Not “promising first effort” stunned, but where-has-this-author-been stunned. It reads like a tenth novel, not a first.
What immediately stood out about Veronique deSol’s writing is her efficiency and eloquence. In The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly), the prose is crisp and refreshingly free of repetition. The worldbuilding is vivid without becoming bloated. She introduces a concept once, clearly and intentionally, and trusts the reader to carry it forward. As someone who docks stars for redundancy, that alone earned serious points from me.
DeSol structures every chapter around creative in-world materials, including memories of past conversations and events as well as excerpts from official IMPERIUM (Intelligent Morpho Planetary Entities' Systemic-Interaction Union of the Multiverse) documents. These primary-source inserts deepen the lore without resorting to exposition. Lines describing Khar's species, like, “Whatever you do, do not anger a Divani. They are a ruthless, calculating species where unnerving intelligence meets overwhelming physical force…” from the IMPERIUM Guide to Peaceful Coexistence with Registered Spacefaring Species, feel like artifacts pulled from a living universe rather than convenient narration. It’s a subtle craft choice that elevates the entire setting.
The book gave me strong Mass Effect vibes, especially with the IMPERIUM, the interstellar government overseeing all spacefaring species, and the thoughtful treatment of Helios, the AI aboard Lily’s ship. Several pages after I'd already been mentally comparing it to the games, deSol dropped a perfectly timed callback that made me laugh out loud: “But these two paragons decided this was the perfect moment to grow a spine.” In the games, players choose between Paragon and Renegade actions as part of its moral alignment system, so seeing that word surface so deliberately felt like an ingenious nod to gamers. It wasn’t heavy-handed, just clever enough to reward readers who caught it.
[Minor spoilers below.]
Helios is a standout. The exploration of AI cognition and what happens to intelligence without new input gives the story real intellectual weight, and made me wonder if deSol has a STEM background. At one point, we’re shown an AI that has gone millennia without encountering anything new. So, with nothing else to do, it had been analyzing its own stored data “again and again and again, until there was nothing left to learn. And when there was nothing left to learn, it began to decay.” These details do real thematic work, exploring purpose, deterioration, and the psychological cost of isolation.
There’s also something striking about how humanity is portrayed. Instead of being primitive or inferior, Lily is met with profound admiration. Helios describes her mind as “a cunning, orderly intelligence woven through a layered spectrum of resonant emotions,” and concludes that her very existence is something close to perfection. Khar responds with the same reverence, particularly in the way she strategically uses her physical strength. Their awe isn’t about her beauty alone, but about the intricate blend of logic, instinct, emotion, and adaptability that defines her humanity. That recognition adds a powerful emotional layer to the romance.
Khar’s species features one of the most inventive biological concepts I’ve ever seen in sci-fi romance. When Divani recognize their mate, their body automatically begins an irreversible imprinting process. DeSol doesn’t treat this as a convenient spicy mechanic; she uses it to examine consent. Khar’s body reshapes itself for Lily, while another character attempts to force biological change onto her without her permission. That contrast is deliberate and unsettling. This book doesn’t just reference consent; it explores autonomy, compatibility, and choice.
The spicy scenes are truly passionate and the forced proximity slow-burns with authentic intensity! When Lily and Khar give into their desires, it ignites and deliciously serves character development and emotional progression.
My one complaint: there is a third-act separation that had me muttering at my Kindle. Lily’s sudden panic about the permanence of the bond, after previously enjoying the, let’s say, intimate benefits of those biological changes, felt abrupt. The emotional shutdown and dramatic exit came on quickly enough to earn an eye roll.
To deSol’s credit, it’s brief and does serve a legitimate purpose beyond artificially heightening the drama. I still didn’t love the mechanism, but the story regains its footing quickly and delivers a satisfying resolution.
This is an extraordinary debut! Bold ideas, sharp execution, and emotional depth are meticulously layered over inventive sci-fi foundations. If this is deSol’s starting point, the rest of this series is going to be formidable.
I received an advance reader copy and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.75 rounded up)
I am genuinely stunned that this is a debut. Not “promising first effort” stunned, but where-has-this-author-been stunned. It reads like a tenth novel, not a first.
What immediately stood out about Veronique deSol’s writing is her efficiency and eloquence. In The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly), the prose is crisp and refreshingly free of repetition. The worldbuilding is vivid without becoming bloated. She introduces a concept once, clearly and intentionally, and trusts the reader to carry it forward. As someone who docks stars for redundancy, that alone earned serious points from me.
DeSol structures every chapter around creative in-world materials, including memories of past conversations and events as well as excerpts from official IMPERIUM (Intelligent Morpho Planetary Entities' Systemic-Interaction Union of the Multiverse) documents. These primary-source inserts deepen the lore without resorting to exposition. Lines describing Khar's species, like, “Whatever you do, do not anger a Divani. They are a ruthless, calculating species where unnerving intelligence meets overwhelming physical force…” from the IMPERIUM Guide to Peaceful Coexistence with Registered Spacefaring Species, feel like artifacts pulled from a living universe rather than convenient narration. It’s a subtle craft choice that elevates the entire setting.
The book gave me strong Mass Effect vibes, especially with the IMPERIUM, the interstellar government overseeing all spacefaring species, and the thoughtful treatment of Helios, the AI aboard Lily’s ship. Several pages after I'd already been mentally comparing it to the games, deSol dropped a perfectly timed callback that made me laugh out loud: “But these two paragons decided this was the perfect moment to grow a spine.” In the games, players choose between Paragon and Renegade actions as part of its moral alignment system, so seeing that word surface so deliberately felt like an ingenious nod to gamers. It wasn’t heavy-handed, just clever enough to reward readers who caught it.
[Minor spoilers below.]
Helios is a standout. The exploration of AI cognition and what happens to intelligence without new input gives the story real intellectual weight, and made me wonder if deSol has a STEM background. At one point, we’re shown an AI that has gone millennia without encountering anything new. So, with nothing else to do, it had been analyzing its own stored data “again and again and again, until there was nothing left to learn. And when there was nothing left to learn, it began to decay.” These details do real thematic work, exploring purpose, deterioration, and the psychological cost of isolation.
There’s also something striking about how humanity is portrayed. Instead of being primitive or inferior, Lily is met with profound admiration. Helios describes her mind as “a cunning, orderly intelligence woven through a layered spectrum of resonant emotions,” and concludes that her very existence is something close to perfection. Khar responds with the same reverence, particularly in the way she strategically uses her physical strength. Their awe isn’t about her beauty alone, but about the intricate blend of logic, instinct, emotion, and adaptability that defines her humanity. That recognition adds a powerful emotional layer to the romance.
Khar’s species features one of the most inventive biological concepts I’ve ever seen in sci-fi romance. When Divani recognize their mate, their body automatically begins an irreversible imprinting process. DeSol doesn’t treat this as a convenient spicy mechanic; she uses it to examine consent. Khar’s body reshapes itself for Lily, while another character attempts to force biological change onto her without her permission. That contrast is deliberate and unsettling. This book doesn’t just reference consent; it explores autonomy, compatibility, and choice.
The spicy scenes are truly passionate and the forced proximity slow-burns with authentic intensity! When Lily and Khar give into their desires, it ignites and deliciously serves character development and emotional progression.
My one complaint: there is a third-act separation that had me muttering at my Kindle. Lily’s sudden panic about the permanence of the bond, after previously enjoying the, let’s say, intimate benefits of those biological changes, felt abrupt. The emotional shutdown and dramatic exit came on quickly enough to earn an eye roll.
To deSol’s credit, it’s brief and does serve a legitimate purpose beyond artificially heightening the drama. I still didn’t love the mechanism, but the story regains its footing quickly and delivers a satisfying resolution.
This is an extraordinary debut! Bold ideas, sharp execution, and emotional depth are meticulously layered over inventive sci-fi foundations. If this is deSol’s starting point, the rest of this series is going to be formidable.
I received an advance reader copy and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 26, 2026
Started well, interesting premise. Then at 40% I was just bored. So DNF
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a free preview copy through BookSirens.
Lily has been kidnapped from Earth by an alien and is en route to an unknown future. Her abductor doesn't realize not all women are docile creatures. He ends up dead and Lily ends up the captain of a space ship. Fortunately, the AI that controls the ship grants her provisional ownership–maybe the previous owner didn't leave a will?–and begins to train her in all things space related. For the next several years, she has nothing to do but learn and keep in shape, until she starts to need funding to keep the ship flying. She applies for a junior position on a spaceship and is hired promptly.
Khar is the baddest of his species, and the captain of a luxury space yacht. He has won all the contests of strength and agility and is known throughout the galaxy. With his title comes a sort of celibacy, which has suited him just fine until this new assistant shows up. A human no less. Since he has never encountered one before, his self-assuredness is crippled quickly as she turns out to be stronger, faster and smarter, breezing through the hazing tasks he puts to her. His ego refuses to admit she is better and avoids any actual head-to-head encounters, until...
Lily and Khar eventually become more than co-workers as his barriers breakdown.
There are epic inter-species couplings as they slowly probe each other's anatomy and desires. While this is all described in great detail, it seemed to occupy an inordinate portion of the book. Eventually they are separated, unwillingly. And a galactic pursuit starts.
The sci-fi portion of the story was entertaining. The aliens were crafted creatively. The gadgets sounded fun. The disappointing aspect was that a strong and capable Lily seemed to acquiesce to a horned–and horny–alien a bit too easily, turning this into more of a caveman-throws-woman-over-shoulder trope. Lily started the story giving me hope. Maybe she will rise to more the level of the hero she should be in the next story. The author certainly dangles a lot of hints and questions for Book #2 in the Epilogue!
Overall, it was a mostly enjoyable read.
Lily has been kidnapped from Earth by an alien and is en route to an unknown future. Her abductor doesn't realize not all women are docile creatures. He ends up dead and Lily ends up the captain of a space ship. Fortunately, the AI that controls the ship grants her provisional ownership–maybe the previous owner didn't leave a will?–and begins to train her in all things space related. For the next several years, she has nothing to do but learn and keep in shape, until she starts to need funding to keep the ship flying. She applies for a junior position on a spaceship and is hired promptly.
Khar is the baddest of his species, and the captain of a luxury space yacht. He has won all the contests of strength and agility and is known throughout the galaxy. With his title comes a sort of celibacy, which has suited him just fine until this new assistant shows up. A human no less. Since he has never encountered one before, his self-assuredness is crippled quickly as she turns out to be stronger, faster and smarter, breezing through the hazing tasks he puts to her. His ego refuses to admit she is better and avoids any actual head-to-head encounters, until...
Lily and Khar eventually become more than co-workers as his barriers breakdown.
There are epic inter-species couplings as they slowly probe each other's anatomy and desires. While this is all described in great detail, it seemed to occupy an inordinate portion of the book. Eventually they are separated, unwillingly. And a galactic pursuit starts.
The sci-fi portion of the story was entertaining. The aliens were crafted creatively. The gadgets sounded fun. The disappointing aspect was that a strong and capable Lily seemed to acquiesce to a horned–and horny–alien a bit too easily, turning this into more of a caveman-throws-woman-over-shoulder trope. Lily started the story giving me hope. Maybe she will rise to more the level of the hero she should be in the next story. The author certainly dangles a lot of hints and questions for Book #2 in the Epilogue!
Overall, it was a mostly enjoyable read.
May 30, 2026
First of all, the cover: LOVE IT. It was what drew me in right away.
This book is about a resilient human and a stubborn but also lovable “alpha” alien. Although it does take a bit to see the loveable side of him. It’s the perfect Grumpy-sunshine when the book starts.
Lilly is abducted from earth. But she overpowers her captor and takes his ship. The only problem is, she doesn’t know how to return back to earth. Leaving her no other choice but to adjust to alien life. Including working to earn credits.
Khar is feared by most and is used to being the best of the best. That is until he becomes Lillys boss. Determined to show her he’s in charge he tests her. That backfires and he ends up falling for her. Hard and fast. Slowly realizing, he is not the only one.
You can really feel the love for sci-fi throughout this book. I loved the descriptions of the aliens, the ships, gadgets, weapons and the system they have. This is a book that really covers the sci-fi part without it being too complex so you cant follow. I also loved “sunshine” Lilly and “Grumpy” Khar. The miscommunication trope in here was funny and never frustrating. I love it when differences in customs is being used to create opposite understandings. I also thought the AI part was very clever and loved the twist in the end.
This book is easy to read and I enjoyed the writing style. The only thing that took me out of the story was the beginning of every chapter. It was an explanation of some sort and although I understand why it was there, it took the speed out of the story for me. I noticed I wanted to skip every intro pretty soon in. It sort of sliced the story into segments instead if letting it flow into one big story. Lastly, I would have loved a bit more time for the romance department. Feelings developed a bit too fast without the built up I prefer and I wouldn’t have minded a bit more alien smut.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. It was a great palate cleanser and was fun to read. I don’t know if this is enough to keep me entertained for a whole series but we’ll see because I definitely intent to read the next one! On a scale from 1-10 I gave this book an 8.
This book is about a resilient human and a stubborn but also lovable “alpha” alien. Although it does take a bit to see the loveable side of him. It’s the perfect Grumpy-sunshine when the book starts.
Lilly is abducted from earth. But she overpowers her captor and takes his ship. The only problem is, she doesn’t know how to return back to earth. Leaving her no other choice but to adjust to alien life. Including working to earn credits.
Khar is feared by most and is used to being the best of the best. That is until he becomes Lillys boss. Determined to show her he’s in charge he tests her. That backfires and he ends up falling for her. Hard and fast. Slowly realizing, he is not the only one.
You can really feel the love for sci-fi throughout this book. I loved the descriptions of the aliens, the ships, gadgets, weapons and the system they have. This is a book that really covers the sci-fi part without it being too complex so you cant follow. I also loved “sunshine” Lilly and “Grumpy” Khar. The miscommunication trope in here was funny and never frustrating. I love it when differences in customs is being used to create opposite understandings. I also thought the AI part was very clever and loved the twist in the end.
This book is easy to read and I enjoyed the writing style. The only thing that took me out of the story was the beginning of every chapter. It was an explanation of some sort and although I understand why it was there, it took the speed out of the story for me. I noticed I wanted to skip every intro pretty soon in. It sort of sliced the story into segments instead if letting it flow into one big story. Lastly, I would have loved a bit more time for the romance department. Feelings developed a bit too fast without the built up I prefer and I wouldn’t have minded a bit more alien smut.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. It was a great palate cleanser and was fun to read. I don’t know if this is enough to keep me entertained for a whole series but we’ll see because I definitely intent to read the next one! On a scale from 1-10 I gave this book an 8.
October 25, 2026
This started off well. The world building was sound. The tone was light but intelligent, and I liked that he stared off trying to be the biggest ass to her as possible to make her quit her job, yet he kept getting thwarted by her strength and efficiency.
But by the time they got together, and immediately started talking about marriage, around 50% of the book, the pacing shifted from a bit shaky to off the rails. I almost dnf’d then, because it stalled.
Then extra characters came in, and then the story is told in a leap-frog manner. It tells you a scene, then the next chapter it tells you the scene from the other character’s perspective, and introduces elements that were not set up at all. And i do mean not at all.
The Colossus was the last straw. That would have been so interesting on its own, and deserved its own book, really. But no. We get Helios, her ultra intelligent spaceship who has secretly developed feelings for her that we were kind of teased about throughout the book but now get punched i. the faces with, by him sacrifice himself to join with an ancient artificial being who was pretty much a destroyer of worlds who is about to kill them all. Amazing, right? I loved the idea, but the introduction we get of the Colossus was basically
Bad Guy 1: “Hey, minion of mine! Go get THE SPHERE.”
Minion: …..
Bad Guy 1: “THE SPHERE!”
I won’t go on. Everything is told leapfrog style which is suspicious to me.. like someone told AI to try to write a cool 3rd act with XYZ elements, and have it finish the book. And I know from then on that I’m not going to be happy with whatever the author does with this second love interest to the FMC (I doubt they become a RH situation because the absolute calamity this book has become has me no longer trusting,) and here we are once again with a book that has a side character that is better than the MMC of the book they will get shafted in the end somehow. No thanka. Learned my lesson with The Land of the Beautiful Dead.
dnf @ 89%
But by the time they got together, and immediately started talking about marriage, around 50% of the book, the pacing shifted from a bit shaky to off the rails. I almost dnf’d then, because it stalled.
Then extra characters came in, and then the story is told in a leap-frog manner. It tells you a scene, then the next chapter it tells you the scene from the other character’s perspective, and introduces elements that were not set up at all. And i do mean not at all.
The Colossus was the last straw. That would have been so interesting on its own, and deserved its own book, really. But no. We get Helios, her ultra intelligent spaceship who has secretly developed feelings for her that we were kind of teased about throughout the book but now get punched i. the faces with, by him sacrifice himself to join with an ancient artificial being who was pretty much a destroyer of worlds who is about to kill them all. Amazing, right? I loved the idea, but the introduction we get of the Colossus was basically
Bad Guy 1: “Hey, minion of mine! Go get THE SPHERE.”
Minion: …..
Bad Guy 1: “THE SPHERE!”
I won’t go on. Everything is told leapfrog style which is suspicious to me.. like someone told AI to try to write a cool 3rd act with XYZ elements, and have it finish the book. And I know from then on that I’m not going to be happy with whatever the author does with this second love interest to the FMC (I doubt they become a RH situation because the absolute calamity this book has become has me no longer trusting,) and here we are once again with a book that has a side character that is better than the MMC of the book they will get shafted in the end somehow. No thanka. Learned my lesson with The Land of the Beautiful Dead.
dnf @ 89%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
Trying to gather summarizations of thoughts or highlights -for the purpose of writing this review- is really kind of difficult…
… BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS SO MANY LAYERS OF “AMAZINGGGG”😅👏
One of the biggest standouts is the FMC, Lily. She kicks off her own leg of this story “2 universal chrono-years earlier (approximately 2.5 Earth years)” by being kidnapped from Earth (or, I guess you can say “abducted”). But our HBIC is all, “I am the captain now, B!7€H”* and totally flips the script on her abductor and completely takes control of the ship -renaming it, and everything (-to “Helios”🤘)!!
Another standout is that the MMC, Khar -an alien (🖐️::hold up::… NOT HER ABDUCTOR👌) who “Even among (his people/species), he was exceptional.” So, right off the bat you’re met with instances and descriptions to back up this (apparently) Galaxy-wide, obviously known information. But before you get the inclination to roll your eyes at “yet another display of male chauvinistic peacocking🙄” -Veronique deSol adds layer upon layer of characterization (depth) to Khar - wherein you learn very quickly that there is SO much more to Khar than the reader OR Lily realizes.
The depth within this read, as a whole, makes it even more compelling. According to the cover, you can expect “A Spicy Sci-Fi Romance.” And In short -that’s accurate! While the yearning heat, mounting tension, and overall spice were ::chef’s kiss:: 👏👏, it’s the storyline (and chaos!) unraveling, and the layers being peeled back (ie character growth/self awareness/self confidence/self acceptance)** that has made the author, Veronique deSol, one I plan on following🙌 - especially since this book seems to be the first in a series…🤞🙏…
•I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.•
*To my knowledge, Lily did not, in fact, say this. In my opinion, though, I can definitely hear this quote in Lily’s ::character’s:: voice
** that is explored by multiple characters, really
… BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS SO MANY LAYERS OF “AMAZINGGGG”😅👏
One of the biggest standouts is the FMC, Lily. She kicks off her own leg of this story “2 universal chrono-years earlier (approximately 2.5 Earth years)” by being kidnapped from Earth (or, I guess you can say “abducted”). But our HBIC is all, “I am the captain now, B!7€H”* and totally flips the script on her abductor and completely takes control of the ship -renaming it, and everything (-to “Helios”🤘)!!
Another standout is that the MMC, Khar -an alien (🖐️::hold up::… NOT HER ABDUCTOR👌) who “Even among (his people/species), he was exceptional.” So, right off the bat you’re met with instances and descriptions to back up this (apparently) Galaxy-wide, obviously known information. But before you get the inclination to roll your eyes at “yet another display of male chauvinistic peacocking🙄” -Veronique deSol adds layer upon layer of characterization (depth) to Khar - wherein you learn very quickly that there is SO much more to Khar than the reader OR Lily realizes.
The depth within this read, as a whole, makes it even more compelling. According to the cover, you can expect “A Spicy Sci-Fi Romance.” And In short -that’s accurate! While the yearning heat, mounting tension, and overall spice were ::chef’s kiss:: 👏👏, it’s the storyline (and chaos!) unraveling, and the layers being peeled back (ie character growth/self awareness/self confidence/self acceptance)** that has made the author, Veronique deSol, one I plan on following🙌 - especially since this book seems to be the first in a series…🤞🙏…
•I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.•
*To my knowledge, Lily did not, in fact, say this. In my opinion, though, I can definitely hear this quote in Lily’s ::character’s:: voice
** that is explored by multiple characters, really
Review of advance copy
Another bait&switch story. Found on reddit r/ScienceFictionRomance. I was promised by the author a "buff fmc" and a "flip of the usual “fragile human woman + overprotective alien” trope". It does seem to start that way... until about 35% in, when mmc mutates as a result of the mating bond to "adapt his body to his mate". From that point on, expect standard alien hunk romance. Mmc becomes stronger than the fmc, overprotective, starts solving all her problems with various harassers, thinks he knows better what's good for her, and the sex is your standard "fmc needs to let go of control and submit". He edges her and denies her orgasm at some point, she thinks he will pay for it... he doesn't. There's a complication at work and she forgets she was mad at him. At some point he throws her over the shoulder, disregards her protests and says he's doing her a favor. The spicy talk includes such timeless hits as "you're taking me so well" and "good female" (apparently that's an upgrade from "good girl" these days). I don't know what was the last straw, immediate jump to discussion about having children, or when when he tied her up and started roleplaing "a barbarian kidnapping a victim in the jungle" and laughed at her she "didn't use a safeword", or maybe when he pounded her so hard she cried tears. This was my cue to bolt. Dnf at 53%.
Nothing provokes my ire as much as authors advertising a "trope flip" only to flip it back to ye olde patriarchy. 95% of self-published romance is already doing patriarchy kink, I'm scrounging here for the 5% scrap and half the time I still end up with domineering or smug jerk mmc (like my last reddit rec, Blood on the Bark).
Were there any positives? The worldbuilding was interesting, humour was pretty funny, and Lily, the fmc, was quite likeable.
Who would I recommend this book to? People who want a standard smol sassy human fmc x tall overprotective alien mmc romance with "mates" and all that, leaning on the humorous side. It's okay as a sci-fi rom-com, but role reversal or trope flip it is not, as it drops the pretense very quickly.
Thank you Veronique deSol and BookSirens for the ARC.
Nothing provokes my ire as much as authors advertising a "trope flip" only to flip it back to ye olde patriarchy. 95% of self-published romance is already doing patriarchy kink, I'm scrounging here for the 5% scrap and half the time I still end up with domineering or smug jerk mmc (like my last reddit rec, Blood on the Bark).
Were there any positives? The worldbuilding was interesting, humour was pretty funny, and Lily, the fmc, was quite likeable.
Who would I recommend this book to? People who want a standard smol sassy human fmc x tall overprotective alien mmc romance with "mates" and all that, leaning on the humorous side. It's okay as a sci-fi rom-com, but role reversal or trope flip it is not, as it drops the pretense very quickly.
Thank you Veronique deSol and BookSirens for the ARC.
May 19, 2026
This alien romance stands out because the human heroine is not helpless after her abduction. Quite the opposite—she manages to overpower the alien who abducted her, take control of the ship, and force a completely different relationship dynamic from the start. That immediately made the story far more engaging than many standard alien romance setups.
One of the most interesting aspects of the worldbuilding is the way human physiology is handled. Because gravity is weaker almost everywhere else than on Earth, the female main character is physically stronger and more resilient than many of the aliens around her. Combined with the fact that she grew up without constant dependence on advanced AI systems, she often thinks more independently and creatively than the alien characters expect. That creates a very believable reason for why she repeatedly surprises them.
The male main character’s culture is strongly focused on strength and dominance, so at first he constantly tries to overpower or challenge her. Watching him slowly realize that she is not someone he can simply dominate makes their relationship development much more interesting. Over time, admiration grows into genuine affection, and eventually the fated mate bond becomes part of the story as well.
What also worked particularly well for me was the heroine’s personality. Despite being thrown into an unfamiliar and frightening situation, she remains curious, caring, and open-minded about the new worlds and cultures around her. That gives the romance a warmer emotional core beneath the high-stakes sci-fi setting.
Overall, this is a creative and engaging alien romance with strong character dynamics, interesting worldbuilding, and a heroine who feels genuinely competent rather than simply reacting to events around her.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
One of the most interesting aspects of the worldbuilding is the way human physiology is handled. Because gravity is weaker almost everywhere else than on Earth, the female main character is physically stronger and more resilient than many of the aliens around her. Combined with the fact that she grew up without constant dependence on advanced AI systems, she often thinks more independently and creatively than the alien characters expect. That creates a very believable reason for why she repeatedly surprises them.
The male main character’s culture is strongly focused on strength and dominance, so at first he constantly tries to overpower or challenge her. Watching him slowly realize that she is not someone he can simply dominate makes their relationship development much more interesting. Over time, admiration grows into genuine affection, and eventually the fated mate bond becomes part of the story as well.
What also worked particularly well for me was the heroine’s personality. Despite being thrown into an unfamiliar and frightening situation, she remains curious, caring, and open-minded about the new worlds and cultures around her. That gives the romance a warmer emotional core beneath the high-stakes sci-fi setting.
Overall, this is a creative and engaging alien romance with strong character dynamics, interesting worldbuilding, and a heroine who feels genuinely competent rather than simply reacting to events around her.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Synopsis excerpt: Former Intergalactic Legion. Apex warrior of his species. Completely convinced he is the most formidable being in every room he enters. He is not wrong about that either. Until Lily. His unmatched gym record? Gone. His spotless work rate? Hers now. His ego? In emergency reconstruction. Forced to work alongside her, Khar can't decide what's more dangerous — her uncanny ability to outperform him at everything, or the fact that she hasn't noticed she's doing it. Lily, meanwhile, is just thrilled to have made a friend.
The synopsis had me hooked immediately and this book did not let me down. I typically don't read much sci-fi but the humor sold me. Khar was so petty in the beginning and I loved the arm wrestling scene. The only reason this is not 5 stars for me is because the MCs weren't adversaries for very long and Lily's strength wasnt really brought up after the romance started. I wanted more petty Khar and more of his abject horror learning about the human body. The spicy food scene had me laughing out loud.
There was a lot going on, plot wise, that made the pacing work but left me with lots of questions. The way the characters were used to advance the plot surprised me because it was very different from what I was expecting. The brothers come in so late that I barely got to connect with them, but they are enough of a tease that I absolutely will be reading the next book in the series.
This book was fun, flirty, and a refreshing change of pace. I loved reading it, I just wanted the one-sided enemies to last a little longer before they became lovers.
Thank you to BookSirens and Veronique deSol for the free eARC.
The synopsis had me hooked immediately and this book did not let me down. I typically don't read much sci-fi but the humor sold me. Khar was so petty in the beginning and I loved the arm wrestling scene. The only reason this is not 5 stars for me is because the MCs weren't adversaries for very long and Lily's strength wasnt really brought up after the romance started. I wanted more petty Khar and more of his abject horror learning about the human body. The spicy food scene had me laughing out loud.
There was a lot going on, plot wise, that made the pacing work but left me with lots of questions. The way the characters were used to advance the plot surprised me because it was very different from what I was expecting. The brothers come in so late that I barely got to connect with them, but they are enough of a tease that I absolutely will be reading the next book in the series.
This book was fun, flirty, and a refreshing change of pace. I loved reading it, I just wanted the one-sided enemies to last a little longer before they became lovers.
Thank you to BookSirens and Veronique deSol for the free eARC.
June 23, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️
The Strongest in the Galaxy by Veronique DeSol was my first science fiction book! And it was great! I’m definitely a fan!
At first, I was a little worried, since I’d only recently started getting into the science fiction genre through movies and hadn’t read a book in this genre yet. However, that worry was totally unfounded, because I got really into the story. The vibe was alien-like yet human at the same time… I found that combo really interesting. What I liked most was the humor in the book. I had to laugh so often because the lines and events were often just brilliant. For me, that’s why this book was partly a rom-com! I was totally entertained and found the book hilarious!
The characters were also super funny. Above all, the relationship between the two main characters was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a funnier or more entertaining couple in a book. Even though the story didn’t go too deep, I was really taken with the characters. The interactions between the different species and the species themselves were also brilliant and so interesting! I absolutely have to learn more. The author is incredibly creative and has built this world so wonderfully! I just loved it! The alien smut was also really good and totally entertaining and fitting.
Even though not everything always made 100% sense to me or seemed logical and the pacing wasn't always perfect, I highly recommend this book! It's just so much fun and the humor is brilliant! I'm really looking forward to Book 2!
The Strongest in the Galaxy by Veronique DeSol was my first science fiction book! And it was great! I’m definitely a fan!
At first, I was a little worried, since I’d only recently started getting into the science fiction genre through movies and hadn’t read a book in this genre yet. However, that worry was totally unfounded, because I got really into the story. The vibe was alien-like yet human at the same time… I found that combo really interesting. What I liked most was the humor in the book. I had to laugh so often because the lines and events were often just brilliant. For me, that’s why this book was partly a rom-com! I was totally entertained and found the book hilarious!
The characters were also super funny. Above all, the relationship between the two main characters was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a funnier or more entertaining couple in a book. Even though the story didn’t go too deep, I was really taken with the characters. The interactions between the different species and the species themselves were also brilliant and so interesting! I absolutely have to learn more. The author is incredibly creative and has built this world so wonderfully! I just loved it! The alien smut was also really good and totally entertaining and fitting.
Even though not everything always made 100% sense to me or seemed logical and the pacing wasn't always perfect, I highly recommend this book! It's just so much fun and the humor is brilliant! I'm really looking forward to Book 2!
Review of advance copy
After killing her alien captor and adjusting to the new reality of her life in space, with the help of her ship's AI, Lily is just trying to get along. Her new coworker, Khar, is gruff but she's confident that they are quickly becoming friends. Unbeknownst to her, Khar has been determinedly competing with Lily in every way, and Lily's effortless superiority is driving him insane. When Lily's prowess triggers Khar into imprinting on her, he has to contend with many emotions and biological changes. But he's not going to let his previous foolishness prevent him from pursuing Lily.
This was a humorous and delightful alien romance. I love the humans as space orc trope, and Lily's obliviousness to her superior strength and stamina created an underlying sense of irony that was a pure joy to read. Despite this lightheartedness, the story explores human trafficking and biological forces in a serious light, and the characters face real struggles. Lily and Khar both mature emotionally, Lily with her trust and belief in herself and Khar in his values and motivation.
A well rounded romance with real heart, wit, and surprising developments.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a humorous and delightful alien romance. I love the humans as space orc trope, and Lily's obliviousness to her superior strength and stamina created an underlying sense of irony that was a pure joy to read. Despite this lightheartedness, the story explores human trafficking and biological forces in a serious light, and the characters face real struggles. Lily and Khar both mature emotionally, Lily with her trust and belief in herself and Khar in his values and motivation.
A well rounded romance with real heart, wit, and surprising developments.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This book absolutely surprised me in the best way possible. The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly) delivers everything you could want from a sci-fi romance: rivals-to-lovers tension, forced proximity, witty banter, a possessive alien MMC, and a heroine who refuses to be underestimated. Add in a jealous AI with attitude and it becomes pure chaotic fun from start to finish.
Lily was such a refreshing FMC. I originally expected the typical “fragile human surrounded by dangerous aliens” dynamic, but that was completely flipped on its head. Lily is clever, capable, and genuinely kick arse. I loved that the alien species admired her strength instead of constantly trying to protect or belittle her.
Khar was exactly the kind of MMC I love reading about. Arrogant, dangerous, completely convinced he’s the strongest being in every room... and honestly, he probably is. But underneath all of that confidence, the tension and yearning between him and Lily was written so well. Their banter felt natural, witty, and genuinely entertaining. There were multiple moments where I found myself internally screaming “just kiss already” because the chemistry was so obvious.
The world building was also incredibly well done. Nothing felt repetitive or overly explained, which made the universe easy to sink into without feeling overwhelmed. Every alien species felt thoughtfully created and distinct. I’m honestly shocked this is a debut novel because the writing felt so polished and confident throughout.
And the romance? The yearning was chef’s kiss. The spice was perfectly balanced with the emotional tension and never felt forced.
Overall, this was such a fun and addictive read, and I already cannot wait for book two.
Thank you so much to Veronique for allowing me to read this before release. You can grab your copy on May 19th 💗
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This book absolutely surprised me in the best way possible. The Strongest in the Galaxy (Allegedly) delivers everything you could want from a sci-fi romance: rivals-to-lovers tension, forced proximity, witty banter, a possessive alien MMC, and a heroine who refuses to be underestimated. Add in a jealous AI with attitude and it becomes pure chaotic fun from start to finish.
Lily was such a refreshing FMC. I originally expected the typical “fragile human surrounded by dangerous aliens” dynamic, but that was completely flipped on its head. Lily is clever, capable, and genuinely kick arse. I loved that the alien species admired her strength instead of constantly trying to protect or belittle her.
Khar was exactly the kind of MMC I love reading about. Arrogant, dangerous, completely convinced he’s the strongest being in every room... and honestly, he probably is. But underneath all of that confidence, the tension and yearning between him and Lily was written so well. Their banter felt natural, witty, and genuinely entertaining. There were multiple moments where I found myself internally screaming “just kiss already” because the chemistry was so obvious.
The world building was also incredibly well done. Nothing felt repetitive or overly explained, which made the universe easy to sink into without feeling overwhelmed. Every alien species felt thoughtfully created and distinct. I’m honestly shocked this is a debut novel because the writing felt so polished and confident throughout.
And the romance? The yearning was chef’s kiss. The spice was perfectly balanced with the emotional tension and never felt forced.
Overall, this was such a fun and addictive read, and I already cannot wait for book two.
Thank you so much to Veronique for allowing me to read this before release. You can grab your copy on May 19th 💗
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lily had a rough start in this part of the universe, beginning with a kidnapping and ending with an inherited small spaceship. She finds herself working on a rich alien's vanity vessel. Her new boss, Khar, is absolutely convinced she is the most dangerous predator in the known universe. Meanwhile, Lily is just vibing, thinking they’re becoming good friends.
The cultural gap and misunderstandings are hilarious without straying into any frustrating miscommunication. Watching Lily's human quirks being interpreted by Khar as terrifying displays of power is pure gold, especially since Lily is just trying to be helpful while Khar is internally screaming. I loved seeing him struggle with his internal chaos while Lily remains blissfully unaware.
The chemistry between them is so much fun. You can't help but love Lily’s resilience and positive energy, and Khar is the perfect grumpy counterpart. Their slow-burn romance feels genuine, built on small moments and earned respect. I loved how well they worked together and how hard Khar falls. I can't wait to read more from this series and this author!
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The cultural gap and misunderstandings are hilarious without straying into any frustrating miscommunication. Watching Lily's human quirks being interpreted by Khar as terrifying displays of power is pure gold, especially since Lily is just trying to be helpful while Khar is internally screaming. I loved seeing him struggle with his internal chaos while Lily remains blissfully unaware.
The chemistry between them is so much fun. You can't help but love Lily’s resilience and positive energy, and Khar is the perfect grumpy counterpart. Their slow-burn romance feels genuine, built on small moments and earned respect. I loved how well they worked together and how hard Khar falls. I can't wait to read more from this series and this author!
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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