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Women of Earth #1
Roark
The people of planet Earth have suffered the tides of war for six long years, but it’s not their war. Earth is the battleground for the thousand year conflict between the invading Hahnshin and the Godan warriors of the Galactic Confederation.
Mira Donazetto’s only concern is for her family’s survival, so when she’s offered work as a translator for the Godan, she jumps at the chance and right into the arms of the new First Commander, Roark. Her heart says she should trust this alien warrior, but how can she when he has the power to take away everything she holds dear.
Roark’s new command post is a disaster with a long list of problems that he must address, including dissension among his officers. The last thing he needs is to have his heart touched by a woman who may be a traitor.
It’s a whole new world and a whole new love story in a whole new series called Women of Earth.
Mira Donazetto’s only concern is for her family’s survival, so when she’s offered work as a translator for the Godan, she jumps at the chance and right into the arms of the new First Commander, Roark. Her heart says she should trust this alien warrior, but how can she when he has the power to take away everything she holds dear.
Roark’s new command post is a disaster with a long list of problems that he must address, including dissension among his officers. The last thing he needs is to have his heart touched by a woman who may be a traitor.
It’s a whole new world and a whole new love story in a whole new series called Women of Earth.
385 pages, ebook
First published June 25, 2015
41 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Rhoades
24 books341 followersJacqueline, known as Jackie to her friends, lives in rural southern Ohio with one lovable husband, one spoiled dog and one disinterested cat. She believes coffee is a food group and therefore necessary to survival. She always has a pot brewing. When not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in someone else's book or working in her garden. She also spends a great deal of time chasing deer and rabbits who apparently also like gardening.
Jackie loves hearing from her readers and is always willing to chat. She can be reached through her website, http://www.jacquelinerhoades.com/ or at jackie3049@gmail.com
Jackie loves hearing from her readers and is always willing to chat. She can be reached through her website, http://www.jacquelinerhoades.com/ or at jackie3049@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 1, 2015
Political intrigue, interplanetary wars, and romance rule the day in this unforgettable start to Rhoades’ new series. The world came to life, allowing readers to picture all of it while at the same time allowing your imagination to run wild. The intricate plot wove its way in and among a variety of different aspects of the story, keeping you on your toes.
Rhoades develops her characters both physically and emotionally, giving reader the full picture of all races and individuals involved. They were absolutely unforgettable. Their sharp personality and witty banter was fantastic. The chemistry between the main characters was so real and palpable.
The cultural and historical development of the peoples of this novel was fantastic. Rhoades introduces reader to many of their cultural practices, while highlighting the differences and similarities of the species that we meet. The Godan history that we encounter throughout was completely fascinating. The twist on Viking history & mythology was great. I found it an intriguing addition to the story that helped me understand the Godan better. I also enjoyed the multiple races that we encountered throughout the novel & the fact that it wasn’t simply humans vs aliens, but rather a complex mixing and mingling.
This novel is a brilliant start to Rhoades’ new series. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, nor can I wait to see what comes next.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
Rhoades develops her characters both physically and emotionally, giving reader the full picture of all races and individuals involved. They were absolutely unforgettable. Their sharp personality and witty banter was fantastic. The chemistry between the main characters was so real and palpable.
The cultural and historical development of the peoples of this novel was fantastic. Rhoades introduces reader to many of their cultural practices, while highlighting the differences and similarities of the species that we meet. The Godan history that we encounter throughout was completely fascinating. The twist on Viking history & mythology was great. I found it an intriguing addition to the story that helped me understand the Godan better. I also enjoyed the multiple races that we encountered throughout the novel & the fact that it wasn’t simply humans vs aliens, but rather a complex mixing and mingling.
This novel is a brilliant start to Rhoades’ new series. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, nor can I wait to see what comes next.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2015
This was an enjoyable sci-fi alien romance. The character depth was well done. The plot was fast paced. A good balance of romance and action. I'll definitely check out the next book in this series.
July 8, 2015
~ ~ ~
Kindle Edition - Purchased July, 2015
3.5 stars = I Liked It
Sometimes I don't like the first book in a series as much as subsequent books, but I have read all of Ms Rhoades' other books, and this is a different genre.
I feel like I should rate this higher, just on the strength of my previous ratings for her other books... I feel guilty, but more stars just aren't there for me having just finished the book.
I have no idea how many space aliens books I've read. Many for sure. It's one of my favorite genres. This one is certainly better written than most, as is standard for Ms Rhoades' books.
And the cover is wonderful! It looks EXACTLY like the description of Roark, even including the Dragon earpiece.
I liked the story and both main characters. I liked the minor characters, too. There aren't any annoying characters that I could think of, except the obvious evil ex, Anthony (and he's supposed to be).
I can't say why I didn't just love this book to pieces, and it might be a matter of current mood. I just found myself being distracted and not riveted. It's a long book for this type. I think that might have been the problem. I like a lot of action in my books, so it's difficult in a long book to keep things exciting. There's not a ton of world-building, since this takes place on Earth. I have read other books where the destruction of the world is more dramatized.
The identities of the bad guys actually surprised me, so that was a really good thing. But, it seemed anticlimactic, somehow. There was no interaction there, it's just told to you.
Another reviewer brought this matter up, and it bothered me too when I read it (it was too short to understand well, I thought). One of my relatives has recently undergone genetic testing because the person is a really short child in a very tall family, so I've been reading up on it somewhat. A normal male is XY, but the female part of that designation is the X. (There can be variations of this that cause a host of problems, such as XXY Klinefelter Syndrome, and others that involve females, such XYY). However, I didn't really dwell on this past the part in which it was mentioned... I read all sorts of things that I question in books. Also, there is another explanation later as to why all the babies are male.
Very minimal amount of typos, like maybe 4 that I saw.
So, it's a good book. I don't give tons of 4 and 5 star ratings, normally. Most people that don't get ARCs will likely give it 4 stars. Buy it. I will be buying the next one about Mira's sister, Wynne.
Kindle Edition - Purchased July, 2015
3.5 stars = I Liked It
Sometimes I don't like the first book in a series as much as subsequent books, but I have read all of Ms Rhoades' other books, and this is a different genre.
I feel like I should rate this higher, just on the strength of my previous ratings for her other books... I feel guilty, but more stars just aren't there for me having just finished the book.
I have no idea how many space aliens books I've read. Many for sure. It's one of my favorite genres. This one is certainly better written than most, as is standard for Ms Rhoades' books.
And the cover is wonderful! It looks EXACTLY like the description of Roark, even including the Dragon earpiece.
I liked the story and both main characters. I liked the minor characters, too. There aren't any annoying characters that I could think of, except the obvious evil ex, Anthony (and he's supposed to be).
I can't say why I didn't just love this book to pieces, and it might be a matter of current mood. I just found myself being distracted and not riveted. It's a long book for this type. I think that might have been the problem. I like a lot of action in my books, so it's difficult in a long book to keep things exciting. There's not a ton of world-building, since this takes place on Earth. I have read other books where the destruction of the world is more dramatized.
The identities of the bad guys actually surprised me, so that was a really good thing. But, it seemed anticlimactic, somehow. There was no interaction there, it's just told to you.
Another reviewer brought this matter up, and it bothered me too when I read it (it was too short to understand well, I thought). One of my relatives has recently undergone genetic testing because the person is a really short child in a very tall family, so I've been reading up on it somewhat. A normal male is XY, but the female part of that designation is the X. (There can be variations of this that cause a host of problems, such as XXY Klinefelter Syndrome, and others that involve females, such XYY). However, I didn't really dwell on this past the part in which it was mentioned... I read all sorts of things that I question in books. Also, there is another explanation later as to why all the babies are male.
Very minimal amount of typos, like maybe 4 that I saw.
So, it's a good book. I don't give tons of 4 and 5 star ratings, normally. Most people that don't get ARCs will likely give it 4 stars. Buy it. I will be buying the next one about Mira's sister, Wynne.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2017
I liked this book a lot except for the slow moving relationship between Roark and Mira in the beginning of the book. He liked her, maybe, but would hardly talk to her and then would inundate her with stuff and then ignore her. It finally started to move in a quicker direction and then the story took off and was really good. I'm planning on reading more of this series.
June 28, 2015
Was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this book to read. I love all of Mrs. Rhoades books and this one did not disappoint. The romance was sweet and well written. She did an excellent job of creating her characters. I have not read many SciFi books because I often have a hard times connecting with the alien characters but not so with this book. The Godan race is well enveloped without being to boring with long descriptions. Jacqueline does a great job of helping you to visualize the differences between the races while at the same times making the aliens approachable. I loved Roark right from the beginning and found myself frustrates with Mira fir holding out on him but of course it was perfect when they finally got on the same page lol. The ending was perfect with a twist that I did not see coming. I highly recommend this book and look forward to others in this series!
August 3, 2015
Great story with wonderful characters!
July 27, 2015
4*
The short version – I liked it a lot. The longer version is as follows:
In the SFR trope, often populated with what could be only described as Tarzans in a spaceships looking for women, with a bad case of insta-lust and whose first word, after laying an eye on our plucky virginal heroine would be: "MINE” (for me it is still one of the biggest conundrums of the genre – how did the races where muscle mass is more prized then intellect have ever achieved the level of sophisticated science and technology required for the interstellar travelling?) Roark was a delightful surprise.
To start with, we have Mira and Roark, the characters that are mature, likable and totally believable. We have an alien commander who is not just a chest-thumping Neanderthal, but someone, who has to deal with administrative issues, as well as internal and external strife (OK, he does go “I command, so it shell be “, but then, he is a troop commander, an alpha, and what is described as a “grumpy bastard” so it have to be expected). We have a heroine who is smart, resourceful, and resilient, does not take crap from anyone, including the “grumpy bastard” and is non-apologetic about her feelings. We have an early attraction, but no hump-fest by chapter 2 – and thank you for that Ms Rhoades! We have secondary characters that are strongly individual, who contribute to the story and not there just for padding (I LOVED Mohawk). The story moves at a good clip, the writing is easy and fluid with often amusing, snappy dialogue and the conclusion was both sweet and satisfying. There is a promise of a next instalment, and I would love to read it when it comes out, meanwhile I would recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a good quality, entertaining SF romance.
The short version – I liked it a lot. The longer version is as follows:
In the SFR trope, often populated with what could be only described as Tarzans in a spaceships looking for women, with a bad case of insta-lust and whose first word, after laying an eye on our plucky virginal heroine would be: "MINE” (for me it is still one of the biggest conundrums of the genre – how did the races where muscle mass is more prized then intellect have ever achieved the level of sophisticated science and technology required for the interstellar travelling?) Roark was a delightful surprise.
To start with, we have Mira and Roark, the characters that are mature, likable and totally believable. We have an alien commander who is not just a chest-thumping Neanderthal, but someone, who has to deal with administrative issues, as well as internal and external strife (OK, he does go “I command, so it shell be “, but then, he is a troop commander, an alpha, and what is described as a “grumpy bastard” so it have to be expected). We have a heroine who is smart, resourceful, and resilient, does not take crap from anyone, including the “grumpy bastard” and is non-apologetic about her feelings. We have an early attraction, but no hump-fest by chapter 2 – and thank you for that Ms Rhoades! We have secondary characters that are strongly individual, who contribute to the story and not there just for padding (I LOVED Mohawk). The story moves at a good clip, the writing is easy and fluid with often amusing, snappy dialogue and the conclusion was both sweet and satisfying. There is a promise of a next instalment, and I would love to read it when it comes out, meanwhile I would recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a good quality, entertaining SF romance.
July 9, 2015
Enjoyed reading this Sci/fi romance book. It has humor, war, great suspence, survival, and new species. The story began with the people of Earth suffering from a war that's waged for six long years. Earth became a battleground for two alien races, the invading Hahnshin and the Godan warriors of the Galactic Confederation. Mira Donazentto's only goal is to take care of her family and ensuring their survival by entering the job the Godan's offered as a translator for them. And there is where she met the new First Commander of Sector Three, Roark. Roark is taken by this human woman who has a true courage and never backs down. Roark may seem a normal Godan First Commander but he has his own deep dark secrets that he is afraid to share with Mira but he underestimated Mira's strength and character. This book has twist that I enjoyed. Dr. Mason Mason is a funny man. Made me chuckle at his unexpected comments. Harm, Prime for First Commander and best friend is quite male that I want to know more about. The children in this book were sweet. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Great stuff.
September 19, 2015
I only gave this book 3 stars and I'm a bit torn about it.
Yes the story was interesting with lots of action and a great post-alien invasion of Earth setting. But the plot felt scattered to me with too many things happening at the same time. The relationship that develops between Roark and Mira also could of used a little more steam.
Too much focus on conspiracies and not enough on romance.
Yes the story was interesting with lots of action and a great post-alien invasion of Earth setting. But the plot felt scattered to me with too many things happening at the same time. The relationship that develops between Roark and Mira also could of used a little more steam.
Too much focus on conspiracies and not enough on romance.
June 22, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
Roark is Ms. Rhoades first venture into the sci-fi branch of the romance genre. I was super excited when I heard she was going to start a new series and couldn’t wait to see what she did with the sub-genre. Overall I am delighted. This was a strong first in series novel and there are just a couple of detracting points I will make later. To readers that are hesitant to pick up a sci-fi book I wish to encourage you to give this one a try. At its heart this is still a romance story, with plenty of steam and spice while still giving us an interesting new type of world to explore. Everything you love about Ms. Rhoades’s other series is present in this new one; fun complex characters, heartwarming romance, an interesting look at a moral dilemma, and great dialog. She delivers all of this as she explores this new (to her) genre.
This book was fine line between a light-hearted romance and a much more serious urban fantasy feel to it. I loved both parts equally and enjoyed the switch back and forth. It kept the book from getting too heavy and bogged down while still giving the story some teeth. The beginning was not awkward per se, just off a bit and I’m not entirely sure how to describe it. It almost felt like Ms. Rhoades was trying on this new genre and it took her a few chapters to really feel comfortable in this new type of world. It could also be chalked up new series issues, I often find them feeling strange as all the rules and settings are worked out. Once we hit page 40 though I was sucked in, laughing out loud and grinning to myself as I read well past my bedtime and nearly finished the book in one sitting! Alas sleep was needed and my next day booked with chores so I needed to set it down even though I really didn’t want to.
So lets look at what worked for me and nearly had me reading all night. I LOVED Roark. He was every thing I wanted in a male lead in a romance read. He was so full of himself in the beginning I just couldn’t wait for Mira to set him straight. I also admired how honorable he was and willing to work to keep Mira in his life. He was pretty damn perfect in my eyes, of course near the end I so wanted to smack some sense into him, but I think that was part of what made him work so well. He had the necessary flaws to make him realistic and relatable, this is something Ms. Rhoades does and excellent job of when she creates characters to fill her worlds. I also really liked Mira and although she isn’t my favorite heroine of this author she would make the top three. She was strong, sassy and determine to find a way to make this new world/life work. I appreciated how resourceful she was and enjoyed her interactions with the Gordan’s. Beyond the two love interests my favorite two characters would have to be Mohawk and Harm. Mohawk we got to know quite well and I hope this foul-mouthed war hawk returns in future novels. Harm, I feel like we barely got a chance to know and I so want to know more! Ahnyis and Mason were fun too and I hope there is a future novella (or more) for these two. The only character I didn’t really care for was David. He just grated on my nerves and I had a tough time forgiving him once light was shined on his role in the plot. It will take a bit more work for me to warm up to him I think. But a good story will have a wide variety of characters and we don’t have to love them all.
So what didn’t work, not much. I already mentioned how the beginning felt off, but I also wish I knew more about how the world came to be this way. Ms. Rhoades did give us an explanation, but I guess I was just wanting more. I want to know more about the invading Hahnshin. I hope future books will touch on their race some more and I look forward to learning more about this war’s start and the different races’ history. Of course if the author gives us everything in the beginning then what is left to explore! Rhoades did a good job of creating her different races though. She made them easy to connect with as a reader yet different enough to give them that alien feel, not an easy task. I did enjoy how she made parallels to Earth culture and history and hinted at how they might be connected in the past.
This is a sci-fi romance that had a very familiar feel to it. If you are a fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s The League series or Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series I would highly suggest giving this world a try. The chemistry and interaction between characters couldn’t help but remind me of everything I love in Star Trek. A great first book in a new genre for this author and personally I am looking forward to what happens next!
Roark is Ms. Rhoades first venture into the sci-fi branch of the romance genre. I was super excited when I heard she was going to start a new series and couldn’t wait to see what she did with the sub-genre. Overall I am delighted. This was a strong first in series novel and there are just a couple of detracting points I will make later. To readers that are hesitant to pick up a sci-fi book I wish to encourage you to give this one a try. At its heart this is still a romance story, with plenty of steam and spice while still giving us an interesting new type of world to explore. Everything you love about Ms. Rhoades’s other series is present in this new one; fun complex characters, heartwarming romance, an interesting look at a moral dilemma, and great dialog. She delivers all of this as she explores this new (to her) genre.
This book was fine line between a light-hearted romance and a much more serious urban fantasy feel to it. I loved both parts equally and enjoyed the switch back and forth. It kept the book from getting too heavy and bogged down while still giving the story some teeth. The beginning was not awkward per se, just off a bit and I’m not entirely sure how to describe it. It almost felt like Ms. Rhoades was trying on this new genre and it took her a few chapters to really feel comfortable in this new type of world. It could also be chalked up new series issues, I often find them feeling strange as all the rules and settings are worked out. Once we hit page 40 though I was sucked in, laughing out loud and grinning to myself as I read well past my bedtime and nearly finished the book in one sitting! Alas sleep was needed and my next day booked with chores so I needed to set it down even though I really didn’t want to.
So lets look at what worked for me and nearly had me reading all night. I LOVED Roark. He was every thing I wanted in a male lead in a romance read. He was so full of himself in the beginning I just couldn’t wait for Mira to set him straight. I also admired how honorable he was and willing to work to keep Mira in his life. He was pretty damn perfect in my eyes, of course near the end I so wanted to smack some sense into him, but I think that was part of what made him work so well. He had the necessary flaws to make him realistic and relatable, this is something Ms. Rhoades does and excellent job of when she creates characters to fill her worlds. I also really liked Mira and although she isn’t my favorite heroine of this author she would make the top three. She was strong, sassy and determine to find a way to make this new world/life work. I appreciated how resourceful she was and enjoyed her interactions with the Gordan’s. Beyond the two love interests my favorite two characters would have to be Mohawk and Harm. Mohawk we got to know quite well and I hope this foul-mouthed war hawk returns in future novels. Harm, I feel like we barely got a chance to know and I so want to know more! Ahnyis and Mason were fun too and I hope there is a future novella (or more) for these two. The only character I didn’t really care for was David. He just grated on my nerves and I had a tough time forgiving him once light was shined on his role in the plot. It will take a bit more work for me to warm up to him I think. But a good story will have a wide variety of characters and we don’t have to love them all.
So what didn’t work, not much. I already mentioned how the beginning felt off, but I also wish I knew more about how the world came to be this way. Ms. Rhoades did give us an explanation, but I guess I was just wanting more. I want to know more about the invading Hahnshin. I hope future books will touch on their race some more and I look forward to learning more about this war’s start and the different races’ history. Of course if the author gives us everything in the beginning then what is left to explore! Rhoades did a good job of creating her different races though. She made them easy to connect with as a reader yet different enough to give them that alien feel, not an easy task. I did enjoy how she made parallels to Earth culture and history and hinted at how they might be connected in the past.
This is a sci-fi romance that had a very familiar feel to it. If you are a fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s The League series or Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series I would highly suggest giving this world a try. The chemistry and interaction between characters couldn’t help but remind me of everything I love in Star Trek. A great first book in a new genre for this author and personally I am looking forward to what happens next!
March 24, 2017
It's not often I get to indulge in a SciFi romance. Most I have come across are all about the boinking and I like my stories to have a bit more substance. Which is why I was completely delighted with Roark by Jacqueline Rhoades.
Godan warriors have been at war with the Hahnshin for a thousand years. Their current battleground is Earth and the people on the planet have been paying the price for six long years. The survivors are doing all they can to stay alive. While this premise is not an original one, it's one that usually works for me especially if I can engage with the characters. Mira and Roark, Oh yes, I liked them a lot. Mira is such a tough woman doing what she can to keep her family going. Roark is all male and strong, even when he goes all caveman I still found him sexy. The heat between them was a nice perfect simmer. Things can't run all smooth for them and as the story progress we find out both are harboring some fairly powerful secrets. Hers was easy to guess them but his...yeah didn't see that coming. They do eventually work things out, although not without some serious issues, but in the end their HEA was a perfect, and surprising one.
This isn't just all romance between these pages. Their survival, action, intrigue and some giggling moments as the Godan solders get educated in the fine art of English and human women. Not sure there was a intent of humor in those classes but I found some of them funny. The cast of secondary characters were simply a delight. Mason, Ahnyis, Mohawk, just to name a few, had me smiling and cheering them on. I hope as this series continues we get to see more of them.
I've been a fan of Ms. Rhoades' Wolvers series and this is my first taste of her book outside of that world. I'm really enjoying this bite and plan on sampling her other books. Anyone who wants to try SciFi without all the extra tentacles and eyes needs to read Roark. Lovers of SciFi are going love it, too.
I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine and in no way was I compensated.
Stars - 5, Flames - 3
Godan warriors have been at war with the Hahnshin for a thousand years. Their current battleground is Earth and the people on the planet have been paying the price for six long years. The survivors are doing all they can to stay alive. While this premise is not an original one, it's one that usually works for me especially if I can engage with the characters. Mira and Roark, Oh yes, I liked them a lot. Mira is such a tough woman doing what she can to keep her family going. Roark is all male and strong, even when he goes all caveman I still found him sexy. The heat between them was a nice perfect simmer. Things can't run all smooth for them and as the story progress we find out both are harboring some fairly powerful secrets. Hers was easy to guess them but his...yeah didn't see that coming. They do eventually work things out, although not without some serious issues, but in the end their HEA was a perfect, and surprising one.
This isn't just all romance between these pages. Their survival, action, intrigue and some giggling moments as the Godan solders get educated in the fine art of English and human women. Not sure there was a intent of humor in those classes but I found some of them funny. The cast of secondary characters were simply a delight. Mason, Ahnyis, Mohawk, just to name a few, had me smiling and cheering them on. I hope as this series continues we get to see more of them.
I've been a fan of Ms. Rhoades' Wolvers series and this is my first taste of her book outside of that world. I'm really enjoying this bite and plan on sampling her other books. Anyone who wants to try SciFi without all the extra tentacles and eyes needs to read Roark. Lovers of SciFi are going love it, too.
I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine and in no way was I compensated.
Stars - 5, Flames - 3
June 25, 2015
Author Jacqueline Rhoades has stepped into a new series, Sci-fi Romance. Roark is book one of her new series The Women of Earth.
This story is full of great characters and conversations, the trademark of author Jacqueline Rhoades.
It begins with the people of Earth having been ravaged by war for six years. Not a war of nations, but of an insect-like race that uses two legs, but have a rather hive mind, the Hahnshin. They travel the galaxy dominating and robbing planets of their natural resources. Then enter the Godan, of the Galactic Confederation. They fight the Hahnshin wherever they find them and have for centuries. They’ve taken over what’s left of Earth and divided it into sectors. Roughly two thirds of the population of Earth have been eliminated by the Hahnshin. However, the Godan are new to the area and haven’t had time to establish any normalcy for the people here. First Commander Roark is assigned to oversee sector three in America. He meets a lovely Earth woman in need of a job to help her family and the sparks begin. Mira can only think of him as a “golden Viking”, and is quickly but interestingly hooked.
The way they meet, the way people feel about the Godan, who the Godan actually are and all the issues Roark faces in the running of this base are part of an intricate and well written story. There are many facets to this building world, filled with interesting charm and science. The story is fast paced, with many plot twists. Just the learning of new cultures is very well considered and there are allusions to past visits to Earth by “Viking” visitors.
Author Rhoades has given us a new and old world with many unusual issues and some we can well understand. This world is richly textured and bodes well for many future adventures.
Grab you favorite beverage, make it a big one – this is incredibly hard to put down. Snuggle up for a wonderful adventure with some steamy love scenes and incredible dialog. Enjoy everyone, I certainly did.
This story is full of great characters and conversations, the trademark of author Jacqueline Rhoades.
It begins with the people of Earth having been ravaged by war for six years. Not a war of nations, but of an insect-like race that uses two legs, but have a rather hive mind, the Hahnshin. They travel the galaxy dominating and robbing planets of their natural resources. Then enter the Godan, of the Galactic Confederation. They fight the Hahnshin wherever they find them and have for centuries. They’ve taken over what’s left of Earth and divided it into sectors. Roughly two thirds of the population of Earth have been eliminated by the Hahnshin. However, the Godan are new to the area and haven’t had time to establish any normalcy for the people here. First Commander Roark is assigned to oversee sector three in America. He meets a lovely Earth woman in need of a job to help her family and the sparks begin. Mira can only think of him as a “golden Viking”, and is quickly but interestingly hooked.
The way they meet, the way people feel about the Godan, who the Godan actually are and all the issues Roark faces in the running of this base are part of an intricate and well written story. There are many facets to this building world, filled with interesting charm and science. The story is fast paced, with many plot twists. Just the learning of new cultures is very well considered and there are allusions to past visits to Earth by “Viking” visitors.
Author Rhoades has given us a new and old world with many unusual issues and some we can well understand. This world is richly textured and bodes well for many future adventures.
Grab you favorite beverage, make it a big one – this is incredibly hard to put down. Snuggle up for a wonderful adventure with some steamy love scenes and incredible dialog. Enjoy everyone, I certainly did.
September 14, 2015
Since The Last Hour of Gann I've been delving into more alien/earth smash ups. It's a small genre and finding something decent is really difficult. Unfortunately this was not on my favorites list.
Cons-
Instalove. Mira tries to apply for a new job with the "friendly" aliens on the planet. At the gate, she is beaten. Roark, a friendly alien, stops the beating and fall instantly in love with her. He becomes a protective, domineering, alpha male and Mira willingly submits. Roark gives no reason for caring about Mira other than her blonde hair and fragility.
Mary Sue.
Mira makes friends with everyone! Everyone loves her (except for the bad guys)! She speaks fluent alien, how convenient! She schools aliens on dating humans, those pesky human women expect not to be raped in the street!
World building
Why are these aliens fighting? The details on this are so sparse it's hard to care about any of the aliens or the fact the Earth is war torn. All we get is, the other aliens want to eat everything, they're bad! The technology explanations are also very sparse. There was a lot of opportunity here for more discussion on refugees, for people in war torn countries, but it all just fell flat. I didn't care that the cities were bombed. I didn't care about the OTHER bad aliens because the GOOD aliens seemed just as bad. But this also wasn't explored. Disappointing.
Pros-
Family relationship
Easily the best aspect of this book, was how Mira interacted with her brother and sisters. That's really all I have on the pro list, at this point.
Not my cup of tea. DNF at 80% because I just couldn't pretend to care about Mary Sues and tropes.
Cons-
Instalove. Mira tries to apply for a new job with the "friendly" aliens on the planet. At the gate, she is beaten. Roark, a friendly alien, stops the beating and fall instantly in love with her. He becomes a protective, domineering, alpha male and Mira willingly submits. Roark gives no reason for caring about Mira other than her blonde hair and fragility.
Mary Sue.
Mira makes friends with everyone! Everyone loves her (except for the bad guys)! She speaks fluent alien, how convenient! She schools aliens on dating humans, those pesky human women expect not to be raped in the street!
World building
Why are these aliens fighting? The details on this are so sparse it's hard to care about any of the aliens or the fact the Earth is war torn. All we get is, the other aliens want to eat everything, they're bad! The technology explanations are also very sparse. There was a lot of opportunity here for more discussion on refugees, for people in war torn countries, but it all just fell flat. I didn't care that the cities were bombed. I didn't care about the OTHER bad aliens because the GOOD aliens seemed just as bad. But this also wasn't explored. Disappointing.
Pros-
Family relationship
Easily the best aspect of this book, was how Mira interacted with her brother and sisters. That's really all I have on the pro list, at this point.
Not my cup of tea. DNF at 80% because I just couldn't pretend to care about Mary Sues and tropes.
February 15, 2016
Mira and Roark. I really enjoyed this one. As usual, I could tell the author put a lot of thought into the world building and characters. She also actually added the 'sci' part of sci-fi so although it is a romance, it wasn't just a 'romance in space'. Not all the science is awesome, but it certainly adds to and supports the story.
The Earth has become a fought over territory in the war between the Hahnshin and the Confederation. The Godan run the military operation and have been doing a piss poor job. But there's a new leader ('First Commander Roark') in town and things are going to change. Mira was a teacher before the war and now finds her self struggling with her sister and brother to keep their growing family fed and housed. She goes to the base hoping to find a job as an interpreter, and instead finds herself in the infirmary after being rescued by a 'Golden Viking'. At least that's what he looked like to her blurry eyes when she came to.
There are so many layers and parts to the story that it keeps you on your toes. Some of it is guessable and some not, but always entertaining. Yes the 'aliens' are mostly human-like but not all of them are 'super hot' by default like in some romances. They come in all shapes and sizes and personalities and flaws. I found it hard to put down and look forward to the next!
The Earth has become a fought over territory in the war between the Hahnshin and the Confederation. The Godan run the military operation and have been doing a piss poor job. But there's a new leader ('First Commander Roark') in town and things are going to change. Mira was a teacher before the war and now finds her self struggling with her sister and brother to keep their growing family fed and housed. She goes to the base hoping to find a job as an interpreter, and instead finds herself in the infirmary after being rescued by a 'Golden Viking'. At least that's what he looked like to her blurry eyes when she came to.
There are so many layers and parts to the story that it keeps you on your toes. Some of it is guessable and some not, but always entertaining. Yes the 'aliens' are mostly human-like but not all of them are 'super hot' by default like in some romances. They come in all shapes and sizes and personalities and flaws. I found it hard to put down and look forward to the next!
June 18, 2016
This book is sci-fi, erotic romance love story.
I thought the book was good, but may be better if I knew more about the characters, I think I will have to listen to the other books to understand it more. Sorry not my kind of book.
Mira is human, once earth was invaded, she had to find another way of life. No more store or government, no one to rely on but yourself. She has a sister, brother and a few orphans from off the street she must feed. The responsibility of being an adult in a world of chaos is not an easy task. but when she find comfort in the arms of the first commander, everyone's life is going to change.
Roark is Godan, an alien as humans call him, but he knows that the humans are caught in a battle that is his own races fault. Although their technology is far more advanced than their human counterparts, he finds himself trying to take over the position of first commander, but the last Godan did not leave much room for him. When he finds himself caught in the web of a human woman, he now needs to find the spy among them as well and time is running out because the enemy is about to start a war on the Godans and humans.
I thought the book was good, but may be better if I knew more about the characters, I think I will have to listen to the other books to understand it more. Sorry not my kind of book.
Mira is human, once earth was invaded, she had to find another way of life. No more store or government, no one to rely on but yourself. She has a sister, brother and a few orphans from off the street she must feed. The responsibility of being an adult in a world of chaos is not an easy task. but when she find comfort in the arms of the first commander, everyone's life is going to change.
Roark is Godan, an alien as humans call him, but he knows that the humans are caught in a battle that is his own races fault. Although their technology is far more advanced than their human counterparts, he finds himself trying to take over the position of first commander, but the last Godan did not leave much room for him. When he finds himself caught in the web of a human woman, he now needs to find the spy among them as well and time is running out because the enemy is about to start a war on the Godans and humans.
July 27, 2015
2 1/2
Incredibly good for a self published novel, with only a few typos and very few problems. It's romance, not erotica, genre notwithstanding :).
Main nits: the marysuish main characters, a little bit too perfect, but then this is the problem with all the story: everything goes perfectly well, nobody dies, there are no misunderstanding, Everything is really too easy. Given the dystopian setting, it's clearly absurd.
A nice, beach reading for those of us who are looking for a very uncomplicated story to relax with.
Incredibly good for a self published novel, with only a few typos and very few problems. It's romance, not erotica, genre notwithstanding :).
Main nits: the marysuish main characters, a little bit too perfect, but then this is the problem with all the story: everything goes perfectly well, nobody dies, there are no misunderstanding, Everything is really too easy. Given the dystopian setting, it's clearly absurd.
A nice, beach reading for those of us who are looking for a very uncomplicated story to relax with.
July 14, 2015
Great start to new series looking forward to reading about the other characters.
March 1, 2018
3-stars may be harsh, but I've read enough scifi romance that this one didn't quite make the grade. This followed the typical alpha alien male and the strong Earth woman theme, but he came across as a dope, and she was a bit shrill at times. She was best when she was on her own, saving the kids and annoying the old men. The secondary characters were pretty thin, and were just there as seeds for future stories. Top it off, the sex wasn't sizzling enough to make me forget the other weaknesses.
Or maybe I'm becoming jaded.
Or maybe I'm becoming jaded.
March 29, 2018
I liked. I want to read the next one in the series.
July 28, 2015
Mira, an ex-teacher, meets Roark, the new alien commander of the city, and they quite like each other and begin a courtship. Meanwhile Mira's teenage brother is running with the wrong crowd and she's caring for and supporting orphans she doesn't have any legal rights to while someone is out there orphan-napping. Roark has problems of his own: he's inherited a basket case of a command with lack of supplies and manpower, insubordinate officers, possible embezzlement, the list goes on. They both have secrets. How do they get together and stay together?
I love the protagonist Mira. She's everything I'd want in a BFF or big sister. She reminds me of several of my favorite teachers who if faced with danger would have protected us (the students) at any cost to themselves. She has vulnerabilities and flaws that resonated with me. Her missteps make sense. I like how she admits she is attracted to alpha males but that has not worked out well for her, so she tries prudence. Once she's committed to you in whatever context, she has your back. She will fight for you, she will stand by you, and I cheered her on throughout the novel.
The other characters are well-drawn. At first I was a little worried by the preponderance of male aliens, but then we meet the delightful Dr. Ahnyis who I also want to be my friend. There's also grumpy Sargeant Mohawk who is introduced as an antagonistic but everyone grows to count on, confusing Dr. Mason Mason, and earnest Petrark. I wanted to bash Mira's brother's head in, but I also wanted to do that to my younger brother when he was a teenager. Roark is a sincere fellow who can be quite overbearing but shuts up when Mira's not done talking. He's upset when he has reason to be but is willing to hear all the evidence on something before charging off and doing something reckless. As proven in a memorable game of Cards Against Humanity, active listening will always get you laid.
The romantic relationship proceeds in a realistic, relatable fashion. Roark figures out what he wants rather quickly, but his feelings deepen over time so it doesn't just seem like infatuation. Mira approaches it more slowly and with caution: she's intrigued, then attracted, then begins to care. She has concerns about the poor girl getting with the rich commander who wants to give her things and can control her fate, as it often creates power issues and friction, just like in resource-skewed relationships in our present. Her worries ring true, and she has to have some encouragement to get involved with Roark. Once they figure out that they both care, love follows quickly. No Great Misunderstandings. The love (and sex) scenes flowed with the rest of the story and paced it well.
There are some editing mistakes that kicked me out of the book and broke my reading trance. There's a stray sentence fragment, one misspelled word that jumped out at me because it was during a moment of tension, and two paragraphs that had sentences that didn't seem to follow each other. There is also the confusing part where Ahnyis tells Mira the friendly aliens are all dudes and Mira doesn't say 'uh but you identify as female' like I did. This was explained later to Mira, but at the time I furrowed my brow. There's also a remark in which Roark references his father having knowledge that I thought he didn't due to the conversation before and after. Nothing that would change anything around it, but I grumble about getting jarred out of the story with a 'wait what'.
The friendly aliens (the Godan) apart from slight anatomical differences don't seem very alien and they catch on to human slang rather quickly. I wasn't sure how believable I found that, and am still undecided. The middle of the book was tight and cohesive, but the end felt a little less together, more meandering with scenes that felt shortened. I would have liked scenes or some more time with the supporting cast to highlight how they'd changed and developed, as I had grown to care about them.
I'll reread this one on a rainy afternoon this winter sipping hot chocolate...or perhaps sooner.
I love the protagonist Mira. She's everything I'd want in a BFF or big sister. She reminds me of several of my favorite teachers who if faced with danger would have protected us (the students) at any cost to themselves. She has vulnerabilities and flaws that resonated with me. Her missteps make sense. I like how she admits she is attracted to alpha males but that has not worked out well for her, so she tries prudence. Once she's committed to you in whatever context, she has your back. She will fight for you, she will stand by you, and I cheered her on throughout the novel.
The other characters are well-drawn. At first I was a little worried by the preponderance of male aliens, but then we meet the delightful Dr. Ahnyis who I also want to be my friend. There's also grumpy Sargeant Mohawk who is introduced as an antagonistic but everyone grows to count on, confusing Dr. Mason Mason, and earnest Petrark. I wanted to bash Mira's brother's head in, but I also wanted to do that to my younger brother when he was a teenager. Roark is a sincere fellow who can be quite overbearing but shuts up when Mira's not done talking. He's upset when he has reason to be but is willing to hear all the evidence on something before charging off and doing something reckless. As proven in a memorable game of Cards Against Humanity, active listening will always get you laid.
The romantic relationship proceeds in a realistic, relatable fashion. Roark figures out what he wants rather quickly, but his feelings deepen over time so it doesn't just seem like infatuation. Mira approaches it more slowly and with caution: she's intrigued, then attracted, then begins to care. She has concerns about the poor girl getting with the rich commander who wants to give her things and can control her fate, as it often creates power issues and friction, just like in resource-skewed relationships in our present. Her worries ring true, and she has to have some encouragement to get involved with Roark. Once they figure out that they both care, love follows quickly. No Great Misunderstandings. The love (and sex) scenes flowed with the rest of the story and paced it well.
There are some editing mistakes that kicked me out of the book and broke my reading trance. There's a stray sentence fragment, one misspelled word that jumped out at me because it was during a moment of tension, and two paragraphs that had sentences that didn't seem to follow each other. There is also the confusing part where Ahnyis tells Mira the friendly aliens are all dudes and Mira doesn't say 'uh but you identify as female' like I did. This was explained later to Mira, but at the time I furrowed my brow. There's also a remark in which Roark references his father having knowledge that I thought he didn't due to the conversation before and after. Nothing that would change anything around it, but I grumble about getting jarred out of the story with a 'wait what'.
The friendly aliens (the Godan) apart from slight anatomical differences don't seem very alien and they catch on to human slang rather quickly. I wasn't sure how believable I found that, and am still undecided. The middle of the book was tight and cohesive, but the end felt a little less together, more meandering with scenes that felt shortened. I would have liked scenes or some more time with the supporting cast to highlight how they'd changed and developed, as I had grown to care about them.
I'll reread this one on a rainy afternoon this winter sipping hot chocolate...or perhaps sooner.
June 24, 2015
I just love science fiction Jacqueline brings a different twist to her newest series. She has some heartbreaking issues but brings it with only the style she can deliver. If you have read her books in the past you are going to love this one. I loved the humor as she twist her way through some tough issues why bring you a very touching love story of a Godan warriors of the Galactic Confederation and a human. War is never easy as Roark, Mira, her family and the soldiers who are trying to save earth find out.
I loved Roark with his sense of humor and his I said it will be so it will be macho self. He is truly a hero in my book with his sexy self and his alpha ways. He is strong but bends when needs to. No one has touched his heart the way this human has. I loved how protective his was how he gave so much and willing to give up so much for her. What could she be hiding and why is she pulling away from him. If she would only trust him but it some seem he might not be telling all the truth his self.
Mira is a very strong alpha women herself she is holding her cards close to her chest and not giving to much away. I loved how she kept Roark straight while batting back and forth between to the two I found to be dearing and lovable. I love that she wasn’t easy and told it like it was. I loved her strength and her sassy ways how she wouldn’t give in if she truly believes. She is a protector as is Roark she had a hard time letting him protect her. The pull with Roark is so strong she has so many to protect what is she willing to do to keep her family safe? Will she give in to Roark’s demands or take his life by storm?
There is nothing boring about this story, it starts out a little slow filling in a few facts to set you up for the story to take off. It isn’t long before the author sucks you in with a page turning story that will touch your heart. When we think of aliens we think of one taking over, mean and ugly. Jacqueline does a wonderful job giving you aliens you can relate to with likable characters, ones you will fall in love with. Before you know it you want an alien of your own.
The way she paints the story you can visualize how earth is broken with building being torn or blow up. She knows how to paint the picture of war to draw you in as she gives you hope that tomorrow might be a better day. Her characters are outstanding with meaning, supporting, loving, and caring with a sense of humor. Even when there are tough issues that you think OH MY this isn’t going to turn out good Jacqueline has a way to twist it around to make you smile or surprise you with the outcome. As things come out you think wow I didn’t see that coming.
There are more things I would love to know about the both the aliens but I feel sure as the series takes off we will learn these things. It is hard to remember a series unfolds over a few books you learn new things when we want it all in one book. All in all I felt the author gave a wonderful tale of what could be in the future wrapping it in love to give us hope. The book ends on a good place leaving the reader wanting more. I wouldn’t really call it a cliffhanger since this could be a standalone book just a very good place for the author to take up book 2. Really the only complaint I have is it will be awhile before we get that next book. I am dying to know so much….
I highly recommend you give this book a try when it is released I know you are going to love it as much as I do.
I loved Roark with his sense of humor and his I said it will be so it will be macho self. He is truly a hero in my book with his sexy self and his alpha ways. He is strong but bends when needs to. No one has touched his heart the way this human has. I loved how protective his was how he gave so much and willing to give up so much for her. What could she be hiding and why is she pulling away from him. If she would only trust him but it some seem he might not be telling all the truth his self.
Mira is a very strong alpha women herself she is holding her cards close to her chest and not giving to much away. I loved how she kept Roark straight while batting back and forth between to the two I found to be dearing and lovable. I love that she wasn’t easy and told it like it was. I loved her strength and her sassy ways how she wouldn’t give in if she truly believes. She is a protector as is Roark she had a hard time letting him protect her. The pull with Roark is so strong she has so many to protect what is she willing to do to keep her family safe? Will she give in to Roark’s demands or take his life by storm?
There is nothing boring about this story, it starts out a little slow filling in a few facts to set you up for the story to take off. It isn’t long before the author sucks you in with a page turning story that will touch your heart. When we think of aliens we think of one taking over, mean and ugly. Jacqueline does a wonderful job giving you aliens you can relate to with likable characters, ones you will fall in love with. Before you know it you want an alien of your own.
The way she paints the story you can visualize how earth is broken with building being torn or blow up. She knows how to paint the picture of war to draw you in as she gives you hope that tomorrow might be a better day. Her characters are outstanding with meaning, supporting, loving, and caring with a sense of humor. Even when there are tough issues that you think OH MY this isn’t going to turn out good Jacqueline has a way to twist it around to make you smile or surprise you with the outcome. As things come out you think wow I didn’t see that coming.
There are more things I would love to know about the both the aliens but I feel sure as the series takes off we will learn these things. It is hard to remember a series unfolds over a few books you learn new things when we want it all in one book. All in all I felt the author gave a wonderful tale of what could be in the future wrapping it in love to give us hope. The book ends on a good place leaving the reader wanting more. I wouldn’t really call it a cliffhanger since this could be a standalone book just a very good place for the author to take up book 2. Really the only complaint I have is it will be awhile before we get that next book. I am dying to know so much….
I highly recommend you give this book a try when it is released I know you are going to love it as much as I do.
October 6, 2015
I picked this book rather at random from an Amazon recommendation, and what a great surprise!
Life hasn't been easy since the Godan and the Hanshin both invaded Earth years ago. Mira's desperately trying to keep her little family together as the alien occupiers battle around them, and now Mira's hoping to get a temp job as a translator at the Godan compound to make a little extra money -- until she's injured by the overly aggressive guards. She's rescued by Roark, the new First Commander of the Godan base, who's furious about the conditions he's found. As Mira heals, she makes several new alien friends, and learns that the Godan aren't the scary 'helmetheads' she's been afraid of, especially Roark. As she and Roark explore their mutual attraction, Mira's torn between her growing feelings for him and her duty to her family. Can she and Roark be free to love each other, or will their secrets tear them apart?
Both Mira and Roark are great characters. Mira's a wonderful heroine. She's smart, open-minded, resourceful and caring. She so....sensible! Her feelings and reactions are very genuine, and it's easy to empathize with her. Roark is a fantastic hero. Like Mira, his thoughts and emotions are believable and real -- even if he is an alien...Aliens have feelings too, right? Together these two are very hot, but I liked that there was no "insta-lust," a plot device that is way overused in Sci-Fi Erotica. Their relationship grows very naturally, and Mira's not a push-over. When she says No, she means....NO.
The world-building is done well. All the back-story on the war and on the Godan occupation is just part of the character and plot development. There's no painfully long exposition or pages of explanatory narration. There's plenty of action and suspense to keep the story's momentum moving briskly along.
I was initially skeptical about the book. I had read another by this author a couple of years ago, and wasn't impressed -- the story was flat, the characters were cardboard, and it was filled with errors in writing mechanics: grammar, punctuation, word usage, spelling, etc. I'm very pleased to say that none of these problems (well..a couple of spelling errors maybe) are present in this book.
So..4 stars for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I hope that there's another book in the series on the way!
Life hasn't been easy since the Godan and the Hanshin both invaded Earth years ago. Mira's desperately trying to keep her little family together as the alien occupiers battle around them, and now Mira's hoping to get a temp job as a translator at the Godan compound to make a little extra money -- until she's injured by the overly aggressive guards. She's rescued by Roark, the new First Commander of the Godan base, who's furious about the conditions he's found. As Mira heals, she makes several new alien friends, and learns that the Godan aren't the scary 'helmetheads' she's been afraid of, especially Roark. As she and Roark explore their mutual attraction, Mira's torn between her growing feelings for him and her duty to her family. Can she and Roark be free to love each other, or will their secrets tear them apart?
Both Mira and Roark are great characters. Mira's a wonderful heroine. She's smart, open-minded, resourceful and caring. She so....sensible! Her feelings and reactions are very genuine, and it's easy to empathize with her. Roark is a fantastic hero. Like Mira, his thoughts and emotions are believable and real -- even if he is an alien...Aliens have feelings too, right? Together these two are very hot, but I liked that there was no "insta-lust," a plot device that is way overused in Sci-Fi Erotica. Their relationship grows very naturally, and Mira's not a push-over. When she says No, she means....NO.
The world-building is done well. All the back-story on the war and on the Godan occupation is just part of the character and plot development. There's no painfully long exposition or pages of explanatory narration. There's plenty of action and suspense to keep the story's momentum moving briskly along.
I was initially skeptical about the book. I had read another by this author a couple of years ago, and wasn't impressed -- the story was flat, the characters were cardboard, and it was filled with errors in writing mechanics: grammar, punctuation, word usage, spelling, etc. I'm very pleased to say that none of these problems (well..a couple of spelling errors maybe) are present in this book.
So..4 stars for a thoroughly enjoyable read. I hope that there's another book in the series on the way!
August 27, 2015
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GENERAL INFO: Roark
=======================================
Genre: sci fi romance
Page Count: 385
Ages: 18+
Part of a Series/Installment: 1st book -Women of Earth
Standalone/Cliffhanger: standalone,no cliffy
M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc: M/F
HEA/HFN/etc Ending: HEA
Contains Cheating: No
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages: No
Was There Descriptive Sex: Yes
Amount of Sex In The Book: enough
Overall Steam Factor: 3.5
=======================================
POV:
=======================================
1st/2nd/3rd Person: 2nd
Character(s)POV Spoken: Alternating H & h
=======================================
TRIGGERS/WARNING: N/A
=======================================
Any Triggers/Warnings:
Detail:
=======================================
PERSONAL OVERVIEW:
=======================================
Overall Rating: 4
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes
Will You Re-read This Book: Probably not(I don't do much re reading)
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
=======================================
OVERVIEW:
=======================================
I thought it would be about aliens who snatch up women from Earth to make their mates. There is a war going on between two alien races and Earth is in ruins. The Godan and Hahnshin are fighting while Earthlings are starving,most of the population has been killed, and children have been abandoned. Mira and her sister Wynne have taken in the "lost" children-their parents casualties of war. They scrounge for food and supplies, Mira being the one working to make ends meet. She goes for a new job- working for the Godan as a translator, where she meets First Commander Roark. A Viking warrior, who immediately protects her. Both Mira and Roark are strong willed, have a take charge attitude, which heightens their attraction to each other. Roark decides Mira is his, and commands she stay with him. Mira has a family that depends on her, and she has to protect them even if that means lying to Roark. There are issues with her brother David, Roark's staff Dr. Mason,Vochem, and Ahnyise. I can't forget Mohawk, a great secondary character. There was a lot going on at the end with Roark's "change" and the cyborgs, and I loved how Mira reacted to her little surprise. Good start to series, nice world building. Can't wait for Wynne's story!
GENERAL INFO: Roark
=======================================
Genre: sci fi romance
Page Count: 385
Ages: 18+
Part of a Series/Installment: 1st book -Women of Earth
Standalone/Cliffhanger: standalone,no cliffy
M/F-M/M-M/M/F-etc: M/F
HEA/HFN/etc Ending: HEA
Contains Cheating: No
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages: No
Was There Descriptive Sex: Yes
Amount of Sex In The Book: enough
Overall Steam Factor: 3.5
=======================================
POV:
=======================================
1st/2nd/3rd Person: 2nd
Character(s)POV Spoken: Alternating H & h
=======================================
TRIGGERS/WARNING: N/A
=======================================
Any Triggers/Warnings:
Detail:
=======================================
PERSONAL OVERVIEW:
=======================================
Overall Rating: 4
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes
Will You Re-read This Book: Probably not(I don't do much re reading)
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
=======================================
OVERVIEW:
=======================================
I thought it would be about aliens who snatch up women from Earth to make their mates. There is a war going on between two alien races and Earth is in ruins. The Godan and Hahnshin are fighting while Earthlings are starving,most of the population has been killed, and children have been abandoned. Mira and her sister Wynne have taken in the "lost" children-their parents casualties of war. They scrounge for food and supplies, Mira being the one working to make ends meet. She goes for a new job- working for the Godan as a translator, where she meets First Commander Roark. A Viking warrior, who immediately protects her. Both Mira and Roark are strong willed, have a take charge attitude, which heightens their attraction to each other. Roark decides Mira is his, and commands she stay with him. Mira has a family that depends on her, and she has to protect them even if that means lying to Roark. There are issues with her brother David, Roark's staff Dr. Mason,Vochem, and Ahnyise. I can't forget Mohawk, a great secondary character. There was a lot going on at the end with Roark's "change" and the cyborgs, and I loved how Mira reacted to her little surprise. Good start to series, nice world building. Can't wait for Wynne's story!
August 24, 2015
I positively LOVED this book. This is Rhoades' first book in a series that will hopefully have many more to come! Mira, the heroine, is a great character-she's spicy, funny, vulnerable and has a core of will made of pure steel. She raises orphans with her sister, Wynne, and they absolutely love their adopted babies.
Mira's relationship with the hero, Roark, has to be the most interesting and best part of the story. They are just perfect together; he's domineering while she can be meek, but she does not take any crap from him. Don't get me wrong-this is not a pushover woman, but she knows when to bend and when to stand her ground, and Roark loves her for it. Roark has a secret and Mira outright lies, but when Roark finds out, he forgives her immediately and when she finds out his secrets, she accepts them as her own, and I really appreciated that aspect of their relationship.
The world building was spot-on. It was post-invasion Earth and Rhoades was able to easily capture the relationships, government, and alien interactions in this world in a way that was believable and engaging. You won't have any urge to skip any parts of skim through dialogue or scene-setting because the entire book was full of action, suspense and character growth. The main couple had issues they had to work through, but I loved it because they worked through them together and found a home in each other that was real and meaningful. They did not jump in bed together in the first chapter, which was a refreshing change of pace from a lot of romance stories these days; the slow buildup and tension of the story made the anticipation more exciting, so their love for each other was also more believable. And when they do finally hit the sheets, it's scorching hot, so don't worry about a drop in writing in those areas.
As a whole, I loved the story and can't wait until book 2 when we'll hopefully get to read about Wynne. The supporting characters were lovely and it really made me antsy to get to their books in the future. Jacqueline will definitely be going on my must-read list from now on. Don't hesitate to pick up this book, you will NOT regret it.
Mira's relationship with the hero, Roark, has to be the most interesting and best part of the story. They are just perfect together; he's domineering while she can be meek, but she does not take any crap from him. Don't get me wrong-this is not a pushover woman, but she knows when to bend and when to stand her ground, and Roark loves her for it. Roark has a secret and Mira outright lies, but when Roark finds out, he forgives her immediately and when she finds out his secrets, she accepts them as her own, and I really appreciated that aspect of their relationship.
The world building was spot-on. It was post-invasion Earth and Rhoades was able to easily capture the relationships, government, and alien interactions in this world in a way that was believable and engaging. You won't have any urge to skip any parts of skim through dialogue or scene-setting because the entire book was full of action, suspense and character growth. The main couple had issues they had to work through, but I loved it because they worked through them together and found a home in each other that was real and meaningful. They did not jump in bed together in the first chapter, which was a refreshing change of pace from a lot of romance stories these days; the slow buildup and tension of the story made the anticipation more exciting, so their love for each other was also more believable. And when they do finally hit the sheets, it's scorching hot, so don't worry about a drop in writing in those areas.
As a whole, I loved the story and can't wait until book 2 when we'll hopefully get to read about Wynne. The supporting characters were lovely and it really made me antsy to get to their books in the future. Jacqueline will definitely be going on my must-read list from now on. Don't hesitate to pick up this book, you will NOT regret it.
June 28, 2015
Fantastic Sci-Fi Romance
Mira is a human woman on a war torn Earth. An alien race invaded Earth and has been systematically killing off the human population. Another alien race has come to Earth to defeat the invaders, but little progress has been made. The surviving Earthlings struggle to find food and shelter. Mira has been scavenging to feed her younger brother and sister and other homeless orphans, but with food running out she decides to seek employment with the aliens who fight the invaders. She does not trust them and feels they may be harming humans, but she has no choice if she wants to save her family. Roark is the new commander of the alien sector where Mira lives. He knows something is very wrong with his new base of operations, supplies are missing and the troops do little to fight the invaders. Roark needs time to investigate and launch an effective strategy against the enemy. Mira catches his attention and both feel a strong attraction to one another, but they both also think they have more important agendas. Treason, treachery, human traffickers, and betrayal abound in this action packed story. The author gives us a complex plot with interesting characters, humor, and romance. I fell in love with so many of the characters in this book. Roark is a hardened soldier who needs a semblance of normalcy and romance, but does not feel worthy of it. Mira is a woman who will do anything to save her family and the children she has taken in, even hide them from the alien she may be falling for. And the children are adorable. I wanted to take them home myself. Many of the supporting characters seem rough until Mira is able to see into their hearts and souls and show us the person under the facade. I hope they each get their own story and HEA. This was a fabulous book and I so look forward to the next one in what I hope will be a long series.
Mira is a human woman on a war torn Earth. An alien race invaded Earth and has been systematically killing off the human population. Another alien race has come to Earth to defeat the invaders, but little progress has been made. The surviving Earthlings struggle to find food and shelter. Mira has been scavenging to feed her younger brother and sister and other homeless orphans, but with food running out she decides to seek employment with the aliens who fight the invaders. She does not trust them and feels they may be harming humans, but she has no choice if she wants to save her family. Roark is the new commander of the alien sector where Mira lives. He knows something is very wrong with his new base of operations, supplies are missing and the troops do little to fight the invaders. Roark needs time to investigate and launch an effective strategy against the enemy. Mira catches his attention and both feel a strong attraction to one another, but they both also think they have more important agendas. Treason, treachery, human traffickers, and betrayal abound in this action packed story. The author gives us a complex plot with interesting characters, humor, and romance. I fell in love with so many of the characters in this book. Roark is a hardened soldier who needs a semblance of normalcy and romance, but does not feel worthy of it. Mira is a woman who will do anything to save her family and the children she has taken in, even hide them from the alien she may be falling for. And the children are adorable. I wanted to take them home myself. Many of the supporting characters seem rough until Mira is able to see into their hearts and souls and show us the person under the facade. I hope they each get their own story and HEA. This was a fabulous book and I so look forward to the next one in what I hope will be a long series.
July 2, 2015
Thank you Jacqueline Rhoades!
Roark is the first book in Jacqueline Rhoades new Women of the Earth series and it is awesome. It is sci-fi romance at it's best. The world building is very thorough and really brings the reader into what life is like for humans on a planet being torn apart by a war between two alien races. The characters, both primary and secondary, are fully fleshed three dimensional people and all have a role to play in the story. There are no throw away characters in Ms Rhoades' books. The character of Roark is arrogant, commanding and possessive, but he is also protective, kind and caring. Mira is strong, loving and also very protective, but can be stubborn, impulsive and has trust issues. Mira is the perfect woman to stand beside Roark as he tries to make things better in the sector he is in charge of and fight a war that seems never-ending. She also has no fear of going toe to toe with him when she thinks it is needed. There are scenes of passion and sex, but they are only part of the story not the focus and I love that. I get much more enjoyment reading about relationship that build using conversation, both humorous and serious, than just spending time between the sheets. This book has action, romance, great aliens and humor. It has everything I've come to expect from a Jacqueline Rhoades book and more. I'd recommend it to anyone! Even those that have never read sci-fi. Thank you Jackie for another wonderful book! I look forward, impatiently, to the next one. I know it will be awesome!
Roark is the first book in Jacqueline Rhoades new Women of the Earth series and it is awesome. It is sci-fi romance at it's best. The world building is very thorough and really brings the reader into what life is like for humans on a planet being torn apart by a war between two alien races. The characters, both primary and secondary, are fully fleshed three dimensional people and all have a role to play in the story. There are no throw away characters in Ms Rhoades' books. The character of Roark is arrogant, commanding and possessive, but he is also protective, kind and caring. Mira is strong, loving and also very protective, but can be stubborn, impulsive and has trust issues. Mira is the perfect woman to stand beside Roark as he tries to make things better in the sector he is in charge of and fight a war that seems never-ending. She also has no fear of going toe to toe with him when she thinks it is needed. There are scenes of passion and sex, but they are only part of the story not the focus and I love that. I get much more enjoyment reading about relationship that build using conversation, both humorous and serious, than just spending time between the sheets. This book has action, romance, great aliens and humor. It has everything I've come to expect from a Jacqueline Rhoades book and more. I'd recommend it to anyone! Even those that have never read sci-fi. Thank you Jackie for another wonderful book! I look forward, impatiently, to the next one. I know it will be awesome!
June 23, 2015
Jacqueline Rhoades would have to be one of my top 5 authors. I have read and even re-read her other books. She always manages to produce a book that I cannot put down once I start reading it .This was no exception.
This book is the first of a new sci fi series, called women of earth. I have not had a lot do with sci fi before as it hasn't interested me ,But I willingly read this one knowing that with Jacqueline's talents she would hold my interest.
Its is set on earth after 6 year of a war between the invading Hahnshin race and the Godan warriors of the Galactic Confederation.
Earth is in chaos , and life as we know it doesn't exist anymore , the population has diminished with the war and humans must struggle to survive.
The book is based around Mira Donazetto a human female who is struggling with keeping her family alive and safe , and The first commander Roark of the Godan warriors . You are instantly drawn to the chemistry that they have and how life evolves around them and there family and friends, Jacqueline has managed to mesh , romance , humor and Intrigue into this novel with a few twists that keeps u wanting more . I highly recommend this book you will not be disappointed.
This book is the first of a new sci fi series, called women of earth. I have not had a lot do with sci fi before as it hasn't interested me ,But I willingly read this one knowing that with Jacqueline's talents she would hold my interest.
Its is set on earth after 6 year of a war between the invading Hahnshin race and the Godan warriors of the Galactic Confederation.
Earth is in chaos , and life as we know it doesn't exist anymore , the population has diminished with the war and humans must struggle to survive.
The book is based around Mira Donazetto a human female who is struggling with keeping her family alive and safe , and The first commander Roark of the Godan warriors . You are instantly drawn to the chemistry that they have and how life evolves around them and there family and friends, Jacqueline has managed to mesh , romance , humor and Intrigue into this novel with a few twists that keeps u wanting more . I highly recommend this book you will not be disappointed.
August 1, 2015
A wonderful Alien takes over Earth HEA! Alien romances are my new genre to read. I bought this from Amazon for $3.49 and all 332 pages were worth it.
Mira, is a survivor of an Earth that is being fought over by aliens. Mira, her sister, and some children scavenger and trade for minimal supplies to survive in a war torn town. Learning the alien language allows Mira a job on the base, which introduces her to Roark.
Roark, the First Commander, from one of the alien races fighting over Earth comes to a base that is riddled with problems. An Alpha male couldn't hold a candle to Roark, "I command it, and so it shall be". When Roark talks about his feelings with Mira he will melt your heart. Like Mira, I would fight for his love too.
The plot spirals out of control on the base. It's a military zone so expect some violence, traitors and heroes. There are a couple erotic love scene but it isn't the plot and doesn't happen every other page. Love scenes are artfully placed, however, because of the scenes I would consider that this book should be read by adults only. Definitly a stand alone, I can only hope the author writes more in this series soon!!
Loved It!!
Mira, is a survivor of an Earth that is being fought over by aliens. Mira, her sister, and some children scavenger and trade for minimal supplies to survive in a war torn town. Learning the alien language allows Mira a job on the base, which introduces her to Roark.
Roark, the First Commander, from one of the alien races fighting over Earth comes to a base that is riddled with problems. An Alpha male couldn't hold a candle to Roark, "I command it, and so it shall be". When Roark talks about his feelings with Mira he will melt your heart. Like Mira, I would fight for his love too.
The plot spirals out of control on the base. It's a military zone so expect some violence, traitors and heroes. There are a couple erotic love scene but it isn't the plot and doesn't happen every other page. Love scenes are artfully placed, however, because of the scenes I would consider that this book should be read by adults only. Definitly a stand alone, I can only hope the author writes more in this series soon!!
Loved It!!
July 6, 2015
Great read!
I was really entertained by this new book by author Jacqueilne Rhoades! It had great characters, fascinating storyline and action, as well as sweet romance and sexy scenes. The story begins as a new alien commander arrives on Earth to take over troops stationed there after an incompetent former commander disappears. The troops are there to help defend and colonize Earth after another alien species had attacked, killing over half of the people on the planet and decimating the cities and the human way of life. The heroine gets a job on the alien base to help support her siblings as well as orphaned children she is caring for. The commander sees her being abused by his own soldiers at the gate to the base and becomes enamored with her. The rest of the story is about the secrets she kept from him regarding the orphans, the fight against some sleazy humans who are helping the enemy and their relationship, which is tested when a huge secret he has kept from her comes to light. I loved this story and can't wait for the next book in the series!!
I was really entertained by this new book by author Jacqueilne Rhoades! It had great characters, fascinating storyline and action, as well as sweet romance and sexy scenes. The story begins as a new alien commander arrives on Earth to take over troops stationed there after an incompetent former commander disappears. The troops are there to help defend and colonize Earth after another alien species had attacked, killing over half of the people on the planet and decimating the cities and the human way of life. The heroine gets a job on the alien base to help support her siblings as well as orphaned children she is caring for. The commander sees her being abused by his own soldiers at the gate to the base and becomes enamored with her. The rest of the story is about the secrets she kept from him regarding the orphans, the fight against some sleazy humans who are helping the enemy and their relationship, which is tested when a huge secret he has kept from her comes to light. I loved this story and can't wait for the next book in the series!!
July 9, 2015
Very nice book. We don't have to ho through the whole alien invasion and terror, we directly begin the story when people are used to it, to their new and kind of destroyed world. They are resilient, smart and fierce. They protect their own. And in Mira's case, they work for the aliens.
She is a translator and as she just starts working, catches the eye of the base Commander. Roark is the ultimate alpha commander, unused to seducing a new race of people, a woman he can't order around and he loves the challenge. They are quite funny in all their misunderstanding and their seductive dance. The fact that both have secrets that take a while to come up is very intriguing and create a create suspense.
I really liked the rhythm of their story as well as the large group of secondary characters who all have a very unique and important role to play. I am very curious to read more of this author's work.
She is a translator and as she just starts working, catches the eye of the base Commander. Roark is the ultimate alpha commander, unused to seducing a new race of people, a woman he can't order around and he loves the challenge. They are quite funny in all their misunderstanding and their seductive dance. The fact that both have secrets that take a while to come up is very intriguing and create a create suspense.
I really liked the rhythm of their story as well as the large group of secondary characters who all have a very unique and important role to play. I am very curious to read more of this author's work.
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