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Starkissed
She's human, he's not, but together Leith and J'Qhir struggle to survive on an alien world, defeat interstellar treachery from a mutual enemy, and confront their growing attraction. Leith McClure reluctantly takes over the family shipping business due to her father's illness. She is shocked to find her father has been trading with the Zi. When a trusted friend's betrayal leaves Leith and the Warrior of Zi marooned on a deserted planet, they must learn to overcome their differences to survive and to explore their mutual attraction.
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
August 29, 2015
I'm going to keep thisss ssshort and sssweet.
Thisss wasss not asss bad asss I wasss expecting. I mean come on, look at that cover! I truly thought I was going to be mentally ssscarred from this reading experience.
And while thisss isss definitely no Barbarian Alien, it wasss alright.
It isss a love ssstory. It had the ssslow burn feel of a Grace Draven book, without the flowery writing. It had a sssurvivor feel with them being marooned on the desssserted planet and it wasss all very "nice".
I wisssh that J'Qhir and Leith could have figured out their situation a little better and fassster. The "I don't know what he wantsss"/"Doesss ssshe want to be with me" ssstuff wasss overdone at the end and I just wanted to basssh their heads together to communicate. Communication people, it makesss the world go round.
The sssex, while interesssting to have the different anatomy of J'Qhir, left me wanting. Probably becaussse I have been reading too much alien sssmut. Thisss definitely needed more Vektalling.
If you have managed to read thisss review without throwing sssomething at your ssscreen, you'll be able to make it through thisss book. All of J'Qhir's ssspeech is written like thisss.
An easssy read (apart from J'Qhir's full name, what a bloody mouthful) but I guesss I wanted sssmut and inssstead I got PG-13.
I would read more by this author though, I'd like to sssee what elssse ssshe can do.
2.5 i-will-build-a-lair-for-usss Ssstarsss
Thanks for the buddy read Machalo Freaks .
Thisss wasss not asss bad asss I wasss expecting. I mean come on, look at that cover! I truly thought I was going to be mentally ssscarred from this reading experience.
And while thisss isss definitely no Barbarian Alien, it wasss alright.
It isss a love ssstory. It had the ssslow burn feel of a Grace Draven book, without the flowery writing. It had a sssurvivor feel with them being marooned on the desssserted planet and it wasss all very "nice".
I wisssh that J'Qhir and Leith could have figured out their situation a little better and fassster. The "I don't know what he wantsss"/"Doesss ssshe want to be with me" ssstuff wasss overdone at the end and I just wanted to basssh their heads together to communicate. Communication people, it makesss the world go round.
The sssex, while interesssting to have the different anatomy of J'Qhir, left me wanting. Probably becaussse I have been reading too much alien sssmut. Thisss definitely needed more Vektalling.
If you have managed to read thisss review without throwing sssomething at your ssscreen, you'll be able to make it through thisss book. All of J'Qhir's ssspeech is written like thisss.
An easssy read (apart from J'Qhir's full name, what a bloody mouthful) but I guesss I wanted sssmut and inssstead I got PG-13.
I would read more by this author though, I'd like to sssee what elssse ssshe can do.
2.5 i-will-build-a-lair-for-usss Ssstarsss
Thanks for the buddy read Machalo Freaks .
December 25, 2015
The book blurb warns about graphic sex and some readers have classed this book as erotica. It's not. This is a pretty shallow romance novel in a SciFi setting.
Our heroic couple is stranded on a hostile planet and the inevitable happens. Love, sex, some drama, some hostile animals, some angst. The female heroine is a virgin, the male hero is honourable, and so on and so forth. There is some fighting, some betrayal, some misunderstanding and bad communication.
I liked him well enough, although he keepsss talking in thisss annoying manner throughout the book. And ssshe eventually even imitatesss him.
She was the reason that I almost tossed the book. 21 years old, going on 12, telling him knock-knock jokes, teaching him tic-tac-toe and checkers. And then running off in a huff, when he wins.
There were some good ideas in this story, but none of them were really explored. There was never any real suspense.
Would I recommend this book to anybody or give it as a present? No.
I am not inclined to read anything else by this author either. And I regret spending money on this at all. Thumbs down for the cover, too.
Amazingly this is not badly written, ssso two ssstarsss, dessspite sssome ssseriousss ssskimming towardsss the end...
Our heroic couple is stranded on a hostile planet and the inevitable happens. Love, sex, some drama, some hostile animals, some angst. The female heroine is a virgin, the male hero is honourable, and so on and so forth. There is some fighting, some betrayal, some misunderstanding and bad communication.
I liked him well enough, although he keepsss talking in thisss annoying manner throughout the book. And ssshe eventually even imitatesss him.
She was the reason that I almost tossed the book. 21 years old, going on 12, telling him knock-knock jokes, teaching him tic-tac-toe and checkers. And then running off in a huff, when he wins.
There were some good ideas in this story, but none of them were really explored. There was never any real suspense.
Would I recommend this book to anybody or give it as a present? No.
I am not inclined to read anything else by this author either. And I regret spending money on this at all. Thumbs down for the cover, too.
Amazingly this is not badly written, ssso two ssstarsss, dessspite sssome ssseriousss ssskimming towardsss the end...
May 17, 2011
A wonderful sci fi romance. The sci fi elements were fine but this is really a relationship story. Very good alien developement. This alien was really alien, not just a guy from another planet. His culture was well developed and logical. It was wonderful to see the relationship between two such disparate people develop. The sex scenes were well placed and understated. The romance was heartwarming. I recommend it to sci fi romance readers who are looking for more on the relationship side rather than the space ship side.
August 31, 2015
that cover.
THAT COVER.
THAT.
COVER.
Buddy read with the MacHalos Aug 28
THAT COVER.
THAT.
COVER.
Buddy read with the MacHalos Aug 28
June 27, 2016
***3.5 stars (0.5 stars for our alien)***
So this was a toss-up between a "meh" 3 and a "liked it" 4 star rating.
On one hand I loved that there was an actual alien alien male MC and not just some human+ -you know, human but with some extra special features like really cool tattoos or glowing eyes. To quote another alien enthusiast, "Aliens do it better." That's the way alien smut, or in this case rather, alien lurrrve stories should be.
I'm not doing a big plot rehash. It pretty says it all in the book blurb. Leith temporarily assumes command of the family business while her dad is sick. While conducting a transaction with a Zi warrior, or THE Zi warrior J'Quir, her father's trusted second in command, Steve, goes rogue, locks up Leith and J'Quir, double sells the merchandise to another group, and then dumps Leith and J'Quir on an uninhabited planet, to live out their days, however many that may be. You can guess how the rest of the story goes. They only have each other, possibly for the rest of their lives. They learn how to survive and inevitably grow closer. Sparks fly, then some ho-hum "super nova"ing occurs (apparently "super nova" has been used to describe sexual climax-I found that funny).
Doesn't sound half bad, right? And it wasn't, not really...
BUT J'Quir's (Jah-Keer) sibilant speech made it hard to continue reading. It was ssso dissstracting. It added nothing to the story line or dialogue of the characters. It would have been a much better reading experience had Leith, our female MC, made a mental observation of the long, drawn out s's instead of the author continually triple s-ing everything. And, to top it off, rather than him adopting more of Leith's speech nuances, Leith caught herself drawing out her s's too. Ahhhhh!! So. Friggin. Annoying. No that he spoke that way, only that the author actually typed it that way. Sigh. Moving on.
Aside from his distracting speech, J'Quir was supposed to be "The Warrior" of his people (which really means caretaker) yet he didn't know how to start a fire? Because on his planet they used mined rocks that when shaken produce an exothermic reaction? Yeah...that seems much more likely. Let's use the people, time, and resources to mine deep within the earth to produce rock that can be used ONE TIME to make heat. That's makes perfect sense. Hmmm..
And Leith and her fits she threw playing games. I'm a mature 21 year old, really I am. Just don't beat me at tic-tac-toe, or checkers, or mess up "row, row, row your boat." If you do I will go all 5 year old on your ass and swipe the game board away or stop singing the song and pout the whole time while doing it. It won't be my fault either, it's yours because your brain works differently, ie better, than mine.
So maybe it sounds like I didn't like the book. I read it in 2 days, so that has to mean something. I really in all actuality liked J'Quir and I didn't hate Leith. I liked the whole "just you and me, marooned on a deserted planet, must survive" deal it had going on. I mean, I like a plot and drama to go along with my alien sexy times (though this kind of fell flat in that area-just saying). But when I finished, there wasn't the satisfaction I normally feel when I've read a book that I like. I just felt, "Eh. I'm done. Time for something else."
This gets a 3-ssstar rating.
BR with the MacHalo ladies starting August 28, 2015.
Because with a cover like that it's bound to be....good?
So this was a toss-up between a "meh" 3 and a "liked it" 4 star rating.
On one hand I loved that there was an actual alien alien male MC and not just some human+ -you know, human but with some extra special features like really cool tattoos or glowing eyes. To quote another alien enthusiast, "Aliens do it better." That's the way alien smut, or in this case rather, alien lurrrve stories should be.
I'm not doing a big plot rehash. It pretty says it all in the book blurb. Leith temporarily assumes command of the family business while her dad is sick. While conducting a transaction with a Zi warrior, or THE Zi warrior J'Quir, her father's trusted second in command, Steve, goes rogue, locks up Leith and J'Quir, double sells the merchandise to another group, and then dumps Leith and J'Quir on an uninhabited planet, to live out their days, however many that may be. You can guess how the rest of the story goes. They only have each other, possibly for the rest of their lives. They learn how to survive and inevitably grow closer. Sparks fly, then some ho-hum "super nova"ing occurs (apparently "super nova" has been used to describe sexual climax-I found that funny).
Doesn't sound half bad, right? And it wasn't, not really...
BUT J'Quir's (Jah-Keer) sibilant speech made it hard to continue reading. It was ssso dissstracting. It added nothing to the story line or dialogue of the characters. It would have been a much better reading experience had Leith, our female MC, made a mental observation of the long, drawn out s's instead of the author continually triple s-ing everything. And, to top it off, rather than him adopting more of Leith's speech nuances, Leith caught herself drawing out her s's too. Ahhhhh!! So. Friggin. Annoying. No that he spoke that way, only that the author actually typed it that way. Sigh. Moving on.
Aside from his distracting speech, J'Quir was supposed to be "The Warrior" of his people (which really means caretaker) yet he didn't know how to start a fire? Because on his planet they used mined rocks that when shaken produce an exothermic reaction? Yeah...that seems much more likely. Let's use the people, time, and resources to mine deep within the earth to produce rock that can be used ONE TIME to make heat. That's makes perfect sense. Hmmm..
And Leith and her fits she threw playing games. I'm a mature 21 year old, really I am. Just don't beat me at tic-tac-toe, or checkers, or mess up "row, row, row your boat." If you do I will go all 5 year old on your ass and swipe the game board away or stop singing the song and pout the whole time while doing it. It won't be my fault either, it's yours because your brain works differently, ie better, than mine.
So maybe it sounds like I didn't like the book. I read it in 2 days, so that has to mean something. I really in all actuality liked J'Quir and I didn't hate Leith. I liked the whole "just you and me, marooned on a deserted planet, must survive" deal it had going on. I mean, I like a plot and drama to go along with my alien sexy times (though this kind of fell flat in that area-just saying). But when I finished, there wasn't the satisfaction I normally feel when I've read a book that I like. I just felt, "Eh. I'm done. Time for something else."
This gets a 3-ssstar rating.
BR with the MacHalo ladies starting August 28, 2015.
Because with a cover like that it's bound to be....good?
August 30, 2015
Buddy read with the MacHalo Ladies
I was mislead! That cover tells me with it's badly copy & pasted design that it's going to be awesomely bad and smutty. I mean just look at that hip holding foreplay going on, so smutty. It was none of those things. No smut! This has ruined the alien smut streak with the MacHalos.
The first half of this book seriously annoyed me. It was slow, full of unpronounceable made up words that weren't necessary to the story, robotic delivery on descriptions, and boring. The most annoying part of all is J'Qhir's parseltongue ways. It's all with a sssss, like a snake hissing words. If I wanted to read that, I'd read Harry Potter. Jess's review explains this best.
The rest of the book moved slowly as well & I only finished it by skimming. It's a slow romance book. Their physical interactions, yuck, I'm not a reptile fan. The ending is fine, I just wish they'd described what the result looked like.
Genre: Alien Romance
Would I read this again? No
Would I rec this? No
Was there smut? No
I was mislead! That cover tells me with it's badly copy & pasted design that it's going to be awesomely bad and smutty. I mean just look at that hip holding foreplay going on, so smutty. It was none of those things. No smut! This has ruined the alien smut streak with the MacHalos.
The first half of this book seriously annoyed me. It was slow, full of unpronounceable made up words that weren't necessary to the story, robotic delivery on descriptions, and boring. The most annoying part of all is J'Qhir's parseltongue ways. It's all with a sssss, like a snake hissing words. If I wanted to read that, I'd read Harry Potter. Jess's review explains this best.
The rest of the book moved slowly as well & I only finished it by skimming. It's a slow romance book. Their physical interactions, yuck, I'm not a reptile fan. The ending is fine, I just wish they'd described what the result looked like.
Genre: Alien Romance
Would I read this again? No
Would I rec this? No
Was there smut? No
May 16, 2012
2 1\2
Please, forget that awful cover (it should be forbidden), this is a sweet romance set in space.
I admit I'm biased by my experiences: many books that call themselves (or are defined as) sci-fi romance are the worst kind of trash, in which the alien/cyborg/your choice is a sorry excuse for pornographic stories. All of them end in my trash bin. :)
I'm so surprised when there's actually a plot and a story in a book of this kind. Here there's a slow build of romance between a earthling woman and a humanoid (but not ape-like) alien stranded on a planet.
It's not erotica, it's a romance in which being different is not a sorry excuse for a sex scene but a real cause of misunderstandings and culture clashes.
Please, forget that awful cover (it should be forbidden), this is a sweet romance set in space.
I admit I'm biased by my experiences: many books that call themselves (or are defined as) sci-fi romance are the worst kind of trash, in which the alien/cyborg/your choice is a sorry excuse for pornographic stories. All of them end in my trash bin. :)
I'm so surprised when there's actually a plot and a story in a book of this kind. Here there's a slow build of romance between a earthling woman and a humanoid (but not ape-like) alien stranded on a planet.
It's not erotica, it's a romance in which being different is not a sorry excuse for a sex scene but a real cause of misunderstandings and culture clashes.
May 24, 2015
4.5 Stars
I was quite impressed with this book although the cover could be better.
Leith is forces to work at the family space shipping business when her dad falls ill. When a co-worker turns evil crazy-guy, he leaves her stranded on an alien planet with J'Qhir. There is some heavy attraction between these 2 but they don't quite know how to deal with each other. Leith is human but J'Qhir is the Zi warrior and his species has much different views on male/female relationships.
This is a great story of survival, acceptance and love.
The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is because I found the ending a bit abrupt and I wanted more. I'm going to contact the author to see if she plans on continuing this awesome tale.
I was quite impressed with this book although the cover could be better.
Leith is forces to work at the family space shipping business when her dad falls ill. When a co-worker turns evil crazy-guy, he leaves her stranded on an alien planet with J'Qhir. There is some heavy attraction between these 2 but they don't quite know how to deal with each other. Leith is human but J'Qhir is the Zi warrior and his species has much different views on male/female relationships.
This is a great story of survival, acceptance and love.
The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is because I found the ending a bit abrupt and I wanted more. I'm going to contact the author to see if she plans on continuing this awesome tale.
September 2, 2015
Pretty tame, almost lame inter-species romance. If you're expecting graphic smut look elsewhere. Still had a fun time buddy reading with the lovely MacHalo ladies!!
July 24, 2017
I read this a while ago, but still go back and read parts of it again when I am in between books. Wish it could be made into an audio book as I like to listen to my favourite books a year or so later while I am out and about. Actually I just wish this author would write more!
The cover art is such a turn off, don't let it sway you from a sci-fi tale that is different from most. I like that the alien is actually 'Alien' and not just a bigger version of a human male.
I also like that the romance is slow to develop and is hampered by cultural differences. No 'insta love' here, thank goodness. I think that's the sign of a talented writer, to be able to show how feelings grow over time.
The cover art is such a turn off, don't let it sway you from a sci-fi tale that is different from most. I like that the alien is actually 'Alien' and not just a bigger version of a human male.
I also like that the romance is slow to develop and is hampered by cultural differences. No 'insta love' here, thank goodness. I think that's the sign of a talented writer, to be able to show how feelings grow over time.
April 25, 2016
Warning!
This will be a biased review because I was so impressed with the authors balls.
I am going to start with what didn't work for me. The H was very proper, that was his society. He wasn't an alpha so of course I didn't care for that. Thats about it.
So what did work for me? Holy shit this author really went for the gusto. This is not a watered down alien looks like humans so they are actually really hot storyline. No her H isn't even warm blooded! He is of the reptilian line. I was super impressed with the story. If you are not a sci fi fan you won't like it but if you are this is a nice change of pace to the normal alien but not really trope we see in sci fi romance.
This will be a biased review because I was so impressed with the authors balls.
I am going to start with what didn't work for me. The H was very proper, that was his society. He wasn't an alpha so of course I didn't care for that. Thats about it.
So what did work for me? Holy shit this author really went for the gusto. This is not a watered down alien looks like humans so they are actually really hot storyline. No her H isn't even warm blooded! He is of the reptilian line. I was super impressed with the story. If you are not a sci fi fan you won't like it but if you are this is a nice change of pace to the normal alien but not really trope we see in sci fi romance.
October 20, 2011
This stinking cover had me not buying the e-book even though I thought from reading the summary that it would be something I would like. Finally I got a Barnes and Noble gift card for my birthday (thank you Molly) and ended up buying it. Very sweet, romantic book. I liked how the attraction between Leith and J'Qhir slowly grew. There are alien sex parts that pop in and out but nothing gross. I would recommend this book.
March 20, 2009
This book is a guilty pleasure for me; I absolutely loved this book.
Futuristic romance with an interspecies twist; who could ask for more in scifi romance novel.
I stand by my initial review, when I reviewed this for Inscriptions Magazine back in March of 2001. I've reread it several times and still love it.
"Lanette Curington truly leaves her audience starkissed."
Futuristic romance with an interspecies twist; who could ask for more in scifi romance novel.
I stand by my initial review, when I reviewed this for Inscriptions Magazine back in March of 2001. I've reread it several times and still love it.
"Lanette Curington truly leaves her audience starkissed."
April 13, 2015
Bad made cover but amazing story, sci-fi elements and ending!
November 4, 2013
Good story of a human female falling in love with an alien male.
They find themselves stranded on a deserted planet, and what must have happen, happened, they fall in love.
Of course there is a HEA, but the most important thing for me is that there is a kind of comparison between a couple coming from different planets (alien and human) with all the lack of understanding that could come with and a couple coming from different religions ...
They find themselves stranded on a deserted planet, and what must have happen, happened, they fall in love.
Of course there is a HEA, but the most important thing for me is that there is a kind of comparison between a couple coming from different planets (alien and human) with all the lack of understanding that could come with and a couple coming from different religions ...
September 16, 2019
This read was a big MEH for me. I wanted to like it more than I actually did, which was disappointing. I am always on the look out for a good alien romance, but this one didn't quite do it for me. I wanted something bolder; this wasn't it. I will admit to having skimmed ~1/2 of this read so I could get through it.
⤷ J'Quir was fine. It was different to see a male alien protagonist who isn't all Alpha. I thought that aspect worked well, given that he's the caretaker of his people. He's huge and strong without being aggressive and overbearing. The Zi are a reserved race--reminiscent of Vulcans at times--so I wasn't expecting any over-the-top gag-inducing sentiment rolling off of him. He's also in his early middle age (almost 110 Zi years), something that doesn't always come across when older male characters are written about. He gets injured and does not recover immediately. He has aches. His stamina is not limitless. I had a good chuckle when it was mentioned that he wished he had his reading glasses to better see something. (I totally feel you, dude. I too am about that age myself where certain things are harder to see than they were years ago.) And I love a good non-human alien character. The Zi are reptilian, down to being cold blooded and adversely affected by cold weather. (A nice detail in this story was pointing out that a thermal blanket did not do him much good, since it could only reflect his diminishing body heat back at him; he required another heat source to keep his own body temperature up.) I thought he was really well handled as a character.
Which brings me to what is usually the weakest point in a story for me:
⤷ Leith. SIGH 21 years old. Acts like she's 10 most of the time. Throw in a few tantrums to make a 3 year old proud and eyeroll-inducing Virgin Stereotypes and you know pretty much everything you need to about her. She was not a character who I could sympathize with nor cheer on; I kept wanting to feed her some cheddar bunnies and put her down for a nap. I felt bad that J'Quir had to babysit her, and at times I was really uncomfortable with the idea of their relationship due to how old she acted and the maturity she displayed. It just felt bad. This romance felt so forced and inauthentic to me; what on earth could they possibly be attracted to in each other? (Oh. They each liked how the other smells. Right.) In could be argued Leith was well-executed for being an inexperienced, Stupid Young Thing. Wreckless, thoughtless, careless in her decision making process, digs deeper holes for herself...she's definitely a TSTL character. And those are a dime a dozen. You can not read 10 books in this genre without running into at least 6 of them. I wanted to see some maturation and growth. It never came. I wish authors would get over their love affair with the under 30 crowd when it comes to their heroines... or at least resist the compulsion to make them overgrown brats. Let's write about some experienced and confident women. I can not be the only person who gets excited by a heroine who is older, wiser, pragmatic, and has a few tricks up her sleeve. One who learns and adapts to her situation and does not sweep the board game off the table because she lost.
⤷ The antagonist. Just...why? Give the man an impressive curled mustache and black cape to dramatically whip around, already. I want someone doing Bad Things who is interesting and their motivation isn't so flat. In what world would his given motivation and course of action make any sense at all?
I think had I read this story earlier in the year when I started my sci-fi/paranormal/fantasy romance bender, I would have rated it more kindly and enjoyed it more. It's not a bad book, it's just not what I need these days in a read.
⤷ J'Quir was fine. It was different to see a male alien protagonist who isn't all Alpha. I thought that aspect worked well, given that he's the caretaker of his people. He's huge and strong without being aggressive and overbearing. The Zi are a reserved race--reminiscent of Vulcans at times--so I wasn't expecting any over-the-top gag-inducing sentiment rolling off of him. He's also in his early middle age (almost 110 Zi years), something that doesn't always come across when older male characters are written about. He gets injured and does not recover immediately. He has aches. His stamina is not limitless. I had a good chuckle when it was mentioned that he wished he had his reading glasses to better see something. (I totally feel you, dude. I too am about that age myself where certain things are harder to see than they were years ago.) And I love a good non-human alien character. The Zi are reptilian, down to being cold blooded and adversely affected by cold weather. (A nice detail in this story was pointing out that a thermal blanket did not do him much good, since it could only reflect his diminishing body heat back at him; he required another heat source to keep his own body temperature up.) I thought he was really well handled as a character.
Which brings me to what is usually the weakest point in a story for me:
⤷ Leith. SIGH 21 years old. Acts like she's 10 most of the time. Throw in a few tantrums to make a 3 year old proud and eyeroll-inducing Virgin Stereotypes and you know pretty much everything you need to about her. She was not a character who I could sympathize with nor cheer on; I kept wanting to feed her some cheddar bunnies and put her down for a nap. I felt bad that J'Quir had to babysit her, and at times I was really uncomfortable with the idea of their relationship due to how old she acted and the maturity she displayed. It just felt bad. This romance felt so forced and inauthentic to me; what on earth could they possibly be attracted to in each other? (Oh. They each liked how the other smells. Right.) In could be argued Leith was well-executed for being an inexperienced, Stupid Young Thing. Wreckless, thoughtless, careless in her decision making process, digs deeper holes for herself...she's definitely a TSTL character. And those are a dime a dozen. You can not read 10 books in this genre without running into at least 6 of them. I wanted to see some maturation and growth. It never came. I wish authors would get over their love affair with the under 30 crowd when it comes to their heroines... or at least resist the compulsion to make them overgrown brats. Let's write about some experienced and confident women. I can not be the only person who gets excited by a heroine who is older, wiser, pragmatic, and has a few tricks up her sleeve. One who learns and adapts to her situation and does not sweep the board game off the table because she lost.
⤷ The antagonist. Just...why? Give the man an impressive curled mustache and black cape to dramatically whip around, already. I want someone doing Bad Things who is interesting and their motivation isn't so flat. In what world would his given motivation and course of action make any sense at all?
I think had I read this story earlier in the year when I started my sci-fi/paranormal/fantasy romance bender, I would have rated it more kindly and enjoyed it more. It's not a bad book, it's just not what I need these days in a read.
November 21, 2012
As Sci-Fi Romances go, this one is one of the better written ones in so many ways. I loved how it really explored differences- true differences in cultures- and not just because of appearance or language, but even how the different groups think. At the same time, there is danger and romance thrown in to keep the plot moving.
Leith, along with her father's right hand man arrive with one of her father's trading vessels to conduct a deal on a neutral planet. It is not long before she is horrified to learn that her father has been trading with a Zi, one of the warrior peoples. She has been taught that all they do is fight and kill. How could her father justify providing trade goods to them? If this isn't enough confusion, she is soon betrayed by a close associate and marooned on a deserted planet with the above said, Zi named J'Qhir. It is all part of a bigger plot on the villain's part that I won't detail out so it doesn't spoil it for others.
They work together to stay alive, but it is a mistrustful partnership on Leith's side. J'Qhir doesn't understand the nuances much of the time, but he does admire the Terran female even if she doesn't seem to think much of him. But after a time, Leith starts to trust her instinct that maybe things weren't quite what she imagined when it came to the Zi and witnessing J'Qhir day in and day out proves to her that he's honorable and can be trusted.
Days turn to weeks and the attraction between them builds until they finally allow it to come. Even in this area, the cultural differences play a part and I found it intriguing how little things on one's part can be perceived as a big deal on the part of another. But with patience and communication, they work things out. Their time together turns idyllic until the day comes when a rescue ship comes for them. And that's when things grow complicated again and danger re-enters their lives.
As I mentioned before, I found the world-building incredible in this one because a certain lack there of in many others I've read. The aliens in this one really are aliens and not just aliens who are barely disguised humans. There are three main cultures represented and I loved how each is distinct.
The plot was pretty tight and I loved how it starts out with a bang, with a more gentle interlude on the planet though even there mother nature was not entirely benign, and then once they're off planet the pace picks up again with danger and romantic angst.
The characters are drawn well. Both of their points of view are given and I liked that because they thought about things so differently. The villain had a bit of 'wear the black hat and twirl his black mustache' about him, but he was the catalyst for much of the danger in the plot. I was particularly taken with J'Qhir. He is a good leader of his people and takes responsibility and care for them in his role as Warrior of his race which is what drives him at first with Leith before his feelings get added into the mix. His race is a bit suppressed so even the concept of 'love' and 'passion' is foreign to his thinking though he doesn't reject it when Leith shows him her way of doing things.
Now Leith, Leith I was a bit iffy on. Sometimes I liked her and sometimes I thought she was being a tad stubborn and angsty which ended up putting her in a 'cutting off her nose to spite her face' sort of deal that was preventable.
In the end, it was a lovely story introducing an intriguing Sci-Fi world and a sweet and tender- while not lacking in passion- romance.
Leith, along with her father's right hand man arrive with one of her father's trading vessels to conduct a deal on a neutral planet. It is not long before she is horrified to learn that her father has been trading with a Zi, one of the warrior peoples. She has been taught that all they do is fight and kill. How could her father justify providing trade goods to them? If this isn't enough confusion, she is soon betrayed by a close associate and marooned on a deserted planet with the above said, Zi named J'Qhir. It is all part of a bigger plot on the villain's part that I won't detail out so it doesn't spoil it for others.
They work together to stay alive, but it is a mistrustful partnership on Leith's side. J'Qhir doesn't understand the nuances much of the time, but he does admire the Terran female even if she doesn't seem to think much of him. But after a time, Leith starts to trust her instinct that maybe things weren't quite what she imagined when it came to the Zi and witnessing J'Qhir day in and day out proves to her that he's honorable and can be trusted.
Days turn to weeks and the attraction between them builds until they finally allow it to come. Even in this area, the cultural differences play a part and I found it intriguing how little things on one's part can be perceived as a big deal on the part of another. But with patience and communication, they work things out. Their time together turns idyllic until the day comes when a rescue ship comes for them. And that's when things grow complicated again and danger re-enters their lives.
As I mentioned before, I found the world-building incredible in this one because a certain lack there of in many others I've read. The aliens in this one really are aliens and not just aliens who are barely disguised humans. There are three main cultures represented and I loved how each is distinct.
The plot was pretty tight and I loved how it starts out with a bang, with a more gentle interlude on the planet though even there mother nature was not entirely benign, and then once they're off planet the pace picks up again with danger and romantic angst.
The characters are drawn well. Both of their points of view are given and I liked that because they thought about things so differently. The villain had a bit of 'wear the black hat and twirl his black mustache' about him, but he was the catalyst for much of the danger in the plot. I was particularly taken with J'Qhir. He is a good leader of his people and takes responsibility and care for them in his role as Warrior of his race which is what drives him at first with Leith before his feelings get added into the mix. His race is a bit suppressed so even the concept of 'love' and 'passion' is foreign to his thinking though he doesn't reject it when Leith shows him her way of doing things.
Now Leith, Leith I was a bit iffy on. Sometimes I liked her and sometimes I thought she was being a tad stubborn and angsty which ended up putting her in a 'cutting off her nose to spite her face' sort of deal that was preventable.
In the end, it was a lovely story introducing an intriguing Sci-Fi world and a sweet and tender- while not lacking in passion- romance.
February 4, 2015
This one started off a bit slow for me, but about 20% in, it really picked up for me after Leith is betrayed by her partner. When her father contracts a debilitating illness, Leith comes home to help with the family intergalactic trade business along with another member of her father's staff, Steve. She discovers that her father has been illegally trading with the Zi. When she and Steve meet with Commander J'Qhir, the Zi representative, she is shocked that the Zi are trading practically priceless Zi jewels for the cargo. Before she can discover more about the Zi or the nature of the trading, Steve double-crosses them both, stealing the jewels, reselling the cargo to the Zi's bitter enemies, and abandoning both Leith and J'Qhir on an uninhibited planet. An injured J'Qhir and Leith must use their combined wits to survive, which is complicated because the Zi are a reptilian like species who start shutting down in cold weather--oh, yeah, and winter is coming. Although very dignified, the Zi are a very traditional and isolated people, with little comprehension of other cultures or social interactions. Moreover, they are very different looking from humans. J'Qhir must overcome centuries of tradition to understand the friendly, independent Terran female. But their mutual fascination leads to love. I really, really enjoyed J'Qhir and his Zi traditions. By the end of this novel, there are talks to open intergalactic relations with the Zi. I hope this means the author will be writing more romances featuring Zi males falling in love with humans. Highly recommend!
May 24, 2014
Please, please, please ignore the hideous cover – I know it is not easy, because, let’s face it, the cover is usually the first thing that may pull us to the book by a new author. In case of Starkissed, the ugly cover hides a charming book with a sweet romance. The storyline is simple, but its simplicity allowed the author to concentrate on what made this book such a pleasure to read – the characters and the development of their relationship. The writing is fluid, the story moves at a good pace, the details are intricate, the sci-fi is not overpowering and the characters are intelligent likable and believable. A very good read.
August 30, 2015
2.5 stars. I need to find the words to review this book.
February 22, 2021
I didn't hate it....I mean, I hated that freaking cover. WTF is that?! I try not to judge a book by it's cover, but lord have mercy this one was tough.
No one annoyed that much...it was weird that the big bad ass alien was hurt and useless for 90% of this book. Romance was aright, it was forbidden on his side, but not hers. 3.75 stars
No one annoyed that much...it was weird that the big bad ass alien was hurt and useless for 90% of this book. Romance was aright, it was forbidden on his side, but not hers. 3.75 stars
June 9, 2021
Sweet cinnamon roll characters in a survival situation in space. Liked the world the author built. Nothing extra wow about it, but also nothing cringe about it either.
Definitely a dont judge a book by the cover book 3.5 rounding up
Definitely a dont judge a book by the cover book 3.5 rounding up
June 28, 2015
Hello everyone!
I just finished reading this novel this afternoon.
Starkissed by Lanette Curington
At first I saw the cover and said: " Weird 3D plastic doll cover". I laughed of course! Second cover with the golden slit eyes, is much better! Alien and human romance? Adventure?
Sign me up!
An interesting story about Leith McClure, a girl who is obliged to take over her father's business because he is ill. Due to this, she is forced to work with Steve(the douch) and get to know how some things work in the interstellar trade. In an unusual trade, she realizes her father has been dealing the Zi. A rebel race who is out of the official Alliance, and not held in high consideration. It is forbidden to fraternize with the Zi. Apparently, the Zi are a reptilian, arcaic and dangeruos race.And that is how Leith meets J'Quir or the Commander.
Who looks like this apparently...
Despite me really wanting him to look like this!!!
Wich is a drell...a beautiful reptilian race only found in Mass Effect the game or the comic. Just so you know... In case you wanna look him up...lol! Sadly it is not so...(pouting!)
Anyways... Back to the review!
This novel has an interesting beginning. It mainly focuses on how two people from different backgrounds and race survive in each others company. They have a certain curiosity and attraction for each other, which helps them overcome the dificulties and unfavorable odds. Their relationship evolves from companionship, to friendship and something else.
In all my reviews, aside from my personal feelings, I also have to be objective. This takes me to acknowledge the following:
a) The novel is well written and has a good pace. It doesn't go fast, and allows you to absorb the events slowly to make it more acceptable. At least 70% of the book.
b) We have a strong herione who becomes a whimperer at the end.
c)Acceptable plot, not over the top nore exagerated. Simple and logical one.
d) All in all, a good story. Entertaining enough to keep you reading it.
So this brings me to the subjective part...
The story itself is well narrated and acceptable. Yet I found myself many times, distracted, disengaged and bored. I guess the writers style doesn't agree with me. We didn't hit it off... It felt slow and cut off sometimes. Switching between days and moments that felt empty. Despite being essential to understand and aprreciate how the characters get to know each other, it didn't get to me, you know? That thing that charms you when you read something. Didn't happen...
From my view, the details and events were like short advertisements. The thoughts of the protagonists instant attraction and devotion, did not move me, nor did I buy into the whole love at first sight thing. The descriptions were vague, the scenario details were almost non existant. No world building, but that wasn't really necessary if the main story had captivated me enough. I couldn't relate to Leith, and J'Quir was very boring as a character.
Despite all of this, I liked the story as a whole. It wasn't bad, nor was it the best. It was entertaining and acceptable. So, I invite you to experience the journey if your looking for something around the genres of, Sci-fi, adventure, love and survival. Recommendable read though!
Verdict> 3.0 stars...
I bid you farewell, and may your future reads be fab!Mua!
I just finished reading this novel this afternoon.
Starkissed by Lanette Curington
At first I saw the cover and said: " Weird 3D plastic doll cover". I laughed of course! Second cover with the golden slit eyes, is much better! Alien and human romance? Adventure?
Sign me up!
An interesting story about Leith McClure, a girl who is obliged to take over her father's business because he is ill. Due to this, she is forced to work with Steve(the douch) and get to know how some things work in the interstellar trade. In an unusual trade, she realizes her father has been dealing the Zi. A rebel race who is out of the official Alliance, and not held in high consideration. It is forbidden to fraternize with the Zi. Apparently, the Zi are a reptilian, arcaic and dangeruos race.And that is how Leith meets J'Quir or the Commander.
Who looks like this apparently...
Despite me really wanting him to look like this!!!
Wich is a drell...a beautiful reptilian race only found in Mass Effect the game or the comic. Just so you know... In case you wanna look him up...lol! Sadly it is not so...(pouting!)
Anyways... Back to the review!
This novel has an interesting beginning. It mainly focuses on how two people from different backgrounds and race survive in each others company. They have a certain curiosity and attraction for each other, which helps them overcome the dificulties and unfavorable odds. Their relationship evolves from companionship, to friendship and something else.
In all my reviews, aside from my personal feelings, I also have to be objective. This takes me to acknowledge the following:
a) The novel is well written and has a good pace. It doesn't go fast, and allows you to absorb the events slowly to make it more acceptable. At least 70% of the book.
b) We have a strong herione who becomes a whimperer at the end.
c)Acceptable plot, not over the top nore exagerated. Simple and logical one.
d) All in all, a good story. Entertaining enough to keep you reading it.
So this brings me to the subjective part...
The story itself is well narrated and acceptable. Yet I found myself many times, distracted, disengaged and bored. I guess the writers style doesn't agree with me. We didn't hit it off... It felt slow and cut off sometimes. Switching between days and moments that felt empty. Despite being essential to understand and aprreciate how the characters get to know each other, it didn't get to me, you know? That thing that charms you when you read something. Didn't happen...
From my view, the details and events were like short advertisements. The thoughts of the protagonists instant attraction and devotion, did not move me, nor did I buy into the whole love at first sight thing. The descriptions were vague, the scenario details were almost non existant. No world building, but that wasn't really necessary if the main story had captivated me enough. I couldn't relate to Leith, and J'Quir was very boring as a character.
Despite all of this, I liked the story as a whole. It wasn't bad, nor was it the best. It was entertaining and acceptable. So, I invite you to experience the journey if your looking for something around the genres of, Sci-fi, adventure, love and survival. Recommendable read though!
Verdict> 3.0 stars...
I bid you farewell, and may your future reads be fab!Mua!
June 12, 2012
Well, I'm always looking for a nice sci-fi romance. I'd love a good series with the same heroine/hero throughout the entire series. But I'll settle for stand-alone romances. I'm not big on the overly technical traditional sci-fi novel.
This started out well, I'm a sucker for the "stranded on a deserted planet/island" trope. And this wasn't a bad story. Entertaining if a bit simple. But the second half of the story employed too many cliched romance devices as a conflict for the romance. Misunderstandings and ensue. Basically, it was every Harlequin romance novel I ever read in the 80s. Not horrible, just nothing special.
This started out well, I'm a sucker for the "stranded on a deserted planet/island" trope. And this wasn't a bad story. Entertaining if a bit simple. But the second half of the story employed too many cliched romance devices as a conflict for the romance. Misunderstandings and ensue. Basically, it was every Harlequin romance novel I ever read in the 80s. Not horrible, just nothing special.
September 21, 2012
I have to tell you that I read maybe one book out of ,say, 150 books more than once. This is one of those books I read more than once. First of all I love this genre (alien ,who is not human looking meets human woman and has attraction immediately on both sides.)Just love it. Lanette Curington does it so well too. I do wish she'd do it again. I'd love to read a sequel to this book. I keep hunting Amazons profile page of L.C. to see if she has written anything else like this, to no avail. This story was so touching that I even cried at a couple parts. I'll not give any of the story away but I do recommend this book to anyone who likes sci/fi, erotic romance,(mildly) and alien encounters of the sexy adventurous kind.
April 25, 2016
Leith McLure takes over her father's shipping company when he becomes ill. She goes with her father's employee, Steve Hancock, to meet with a client and discovers her father is doing illegal trading with the Zi. Then Leith is betrayed and left on a deserted planet with the Zi, J'Qhir. Together they must put aside their differences and survive.
The Zi culture was strange but it was supposed to be, I guess, for the story to really work. They are some kind of humanoid retile or reptilian humanoid. I don't know which is correct. J'Qhir is the Warrior of Zi. The leader, I guess. Though he answers to the council of elders. Leith is a human from earth. They are not exactly enemies but nor are they allies. Anyway, it was a good story and I did enjoy it.
The Zi culture was strange but it was supposed to be, I guess, for the story to really work. They are some kind of humanoid retile or reptilian humanoid. I don't know which is correct. J'Qhir is the Warrior of Zi. The leader, I guess. Though he answers to the council of elders. Leith is a human from earth. They are not exactly enemies but nor are they allies. Anyway, it was a good story and I did enjoy it.
May 17, 2020
Very alien H, and human h stranded on an uninhabited planet. His male dominant culture requires him to act honourably and atone for his failures. At first they struggle just to survive, he's badly injured, she's almost useless but they do find food and shelter. And, they are very attracted. I struggled to like the heroine, she was really quite stupid and very self absorbed. Even her girlfriend had told her she's was difficult. Meanwhile, the H changed his whole life for her. He was shortchanged.
did-not-finish
December 25, 2021Did not finish at 9%. The description of the aliens world is so misogynistic, I don’t understand why the author would write this. Isn’t our world bad enough? And then the contrived bed scene? Who takes a total stranger on a tour of their bedroom during a business deal?
July 8, 2015
boyle cover mı olur ya
December 12, 2015
This is a book that you really shouldn't judge by the cover. It was so good and a nice slow build towards the romance
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