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Jekh Saga #2
Crux
Erin McGarry fears she’s becoming the very thing she hates. She travelled to the planet Jekh to get her big sister, Courtney, out of a jam, and now Erin has become a colonist, too. In spite of the planet’s unstable political environment and ongoing rioting by the native Jekhans, Erin fears that retreating to Earth would mean she’d never see Courtney again!
To complicate her ordeal further, as one of very few women on a planet of desperate men, people expect Erin to pick a lover - or two - and settle down. With the Jekhan race having nearly been obliterated by Terran colonists, Erin refuses to help further dilute their culture. But at least two men think Erin’s objections don’t hold water...
They may have been enemies at first sight, but Esteben Beshni and Headron Jiro intimately bond over a common goal: making Erin their mate. Just when they think they’ve made headway with convincing her, the men’s efforts are choked by the reemergence of Erin’s long-missing grandfather and by unsettling revelations about the abductors who created the Jekhan hybrid race. If they can’t convince Erin that a mixed-culture ménage is the intergalactic ticket to happiness, they may miss their chance to have children...
How can they help rebuild Jekh if the one woman who wants them both is too idealistic to commit?
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2016
86 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
H.E. Trent
8 books35 followersH.E. Trent is the science fiction romance pseudonym of award-winning author Holley Trent.
Learn about her paranormal and erotic paranormal romances—including the psychic Viking ménages in The Afótama Legacy—at her website: holleytrent.com.
Subscribe to the H.E. Trent newsletter to get first glimpses of upcoming Jekh Saga installments and new release notifications at https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l....
Learn about her paranormal and erotic paranormal romances—including the psychic Viking ménages in The Afótama Legacy—at her website: holleytrent.com.
Subscribe to the H.E. Trent newsletter to get first glimpses of upcoming Jekh Saga installments and new release notifications at https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l....
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 1, 2019
This felt solid, largely because the heavy worldbuilding was taken care of in book one. I love the overarching plot, the themes of colonization and how best to rebuild a society that's in trouble at a genetic level. The issues explored hark back to historical situations in the US but are completely different at the same time.
I wasn't a huge fan of the romance, however. I wasn't on board with Esteben because while he and Erin have a power exchange-esque dynamic it's never discussed as such. As a result it feels creepy and kind of wrong, especially compared to her sweet relationship with swoon-worthy Headron.
There are a couple of elements that carried over from the first book that I wish didn't, including native English speakers blithely using hard to understand idioms in front of people learning the language. I find it disingenuous that Erin and Courtney care so much about preserving Jekhan culture but don't bother to learn their language, not even single words. They spend a lot of time reflecting on their position as colonizers, and at the same time expect all Jekhans to speak perfect English. GAH.
All that being said I'm excited to read the next book. I'm not sure the romance (m/f, not m/m/f) will be for me, but the large-scale story has me hooked.
I wasn't a huge fan of the romance, however. I wasn't on board with Esteben because while he and Erin have a power exchange-esque dynamic it's never discussed as such. As a result it feels creepy and kind of wrong, especially compared to her sweet relationship with swoon-worthy Headron.
There are a couple of elements that carried over from the first book that I wish didn't, including native English speakers blithely using hard to understand idioms in front of people learning the language. I find it disingenuous that Erin and Courtney care so much about preserving Jekhan culture but don't bother to learn their language, not even single words. They spend a lot of time reflecting on their position as colonizers, and at the same time expect all Jekhans to speak perfect English. GAH.
All that being said I'm excited to read the next book. I'm not sure the romance (m/f, not m/m/f) will be for me, but the large-scale story has me hooked.
October 12, 2016
A rare blend of imagination and execution.
This book exemplifies what draws me consistently to Holley Trent's books. She is one of the few authors I've read who has the skill and takes the time to fully develop not only her character's personalities, but also their relationships, in a back drop of worlds that are described in enough detail to make the story feel real. The stage was set in Book One, and if you haven't read it yet, I recommend doing that before reading this one. It is also an excellent book. But if you can't, then go ahead with this one. I think once you read it, you'll want to read book one anyway.
Courtney, Erin and Owen McGarry have settled on a farm in a remote area of Jekh with Courtney's Jekhan mates and others who fled the war with them. Erin has settled into patrolling the farm's borders with Headron, a Jekhan baker and close friend. Headrom wants her as his mate, but she continues to refuse him. She cares about him, just believes the Jekhans have been already been preyed upon enough by Terrans and that the Jekhans should reinforce their bloodlines, not dilute them. But Headron is persistent. Although he doesn't want to share, he acquiesces to her condition that he find the third person for their triad, a Jekhan genetic requirement for procreation, before she will agree. Erin doesn't believe he will find anyone they both can agree to, or who will be compatible with her erratic personality. But while he is setting the search in motion, Erin submits to Esteben Beshi, Morki's brother, a dominant, fractured Jekh she believes will satisfy a need without further entanglements. Esteban proves he can be just as unpredictable as Erin and as relentless as Headron, however, once he has a goal in mind.
In a secondary storyline, Liz Devin sends her agents to retrieve the McGarry's grandfather, the Terran man who set the resistance in motion decades before. A man who has been in stasis off planet for years. A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
This book exemplifies what draws me consistently to Holley Trent's books. She is one of the few authors I've read who has the skill and takes the time to fully develop not only her character's personalities, but also their relationships, in a back drop of worlds that are described in enough detail to make the story feel real. The stage was set in Book One, and if you haven't read it yet, I recommend doing that before reading this one. It is also an excellent book. But if you can't, then go ahead with this one. I think once you read it, you'll want to read book one anyway.
Courtney, Erin and Owen McGarry have settled on a farm in a remote area of Jekh with Courtney's Jekhan mates and others who fled the war with them. Erin has settled into patrolling the farm's borders with Headron, a Jekhan baker and close friend. Headrom wants her as his mate, but she continues to refuse him. She cares about him, just believes the Jekhans have been already been preyed upon enough by Terrans and that the Jekhans should reinforce their bloodlines, not dilute them. But Headron is persistent. Although he doesn't want to share, he acquiesces to her condition that he find the third person for their triad, a Jekhan genetic requirement for procreation, before she will agree. Erin doesn't believe he will find anyone they both can agree to, or who will be compatible with her erratic personality. But while he is setting the search in motion, Erin submits to Esteben Beshi, Morki's brother, a dominant, fractured Jekh she believes will satisfy a need without further entanglements. Esteban proves he can be just as unpredictable as Erin and as relentless as Headron, however, once he has a goal in mind.
In a secondary storyline, Liz Devin sends her agents to retrieve the McGarry's grandfather, the Terran man who set the resistance in motion decades before. A man who has been in stasis off planet for years. A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
October 4, 2016
Book Two of the Jekh Saga is just as good as book one.
Loving the McGarry's family drama. This book is focused on Erin, Esteben, and Headron these characters will either make you love them or want to beat their heads up side a wall because they are stubborn.
Headron is the lovable baker who loves Erin but she is determined not to have him because she wants him to find his trio. Esteben is the damage one of the group with a dominating streak.
Can they all get out of their heads and change the way they were raised in order to make a trio of worth?
Received this book for free in exchange for a honest review from the author.
Loving the McGarry's family drama. This book is focused on Erin, Esteben, and Headron these characters will either make you love them or want to beat their heads up side a wall because they are stubborn.
Headron is the lovable baker who loves Erin but she is determined not to have him because she wants him to find his trio. Esteben is the damage one of the group with a dominating streak.
Can they all get out of their heads and change the way they were raised in order to make a trio of worth?
Received this book for free in exchange for a honest review from the author.
October 11, 2016
Good but...
I love Trent. Hardly anyone does MMF better. And I'm down with space cowboy stories. But...I wanted more romance and growth between the triad and tighter pacing with everything else. I mean, we get it: stuff is messed up, lots of mens, few ladies, opportunists abound, ladies got the power to make things right. Why, then doesn't it seem like more fun? Pacing. When Esteban, Erin, or the other dude aren't part of the action,the story drags. It's like a British Sci fi show from the 70s: LOTS of talk and detail. (Seriously, a whole scene about what to knit the baby's blanket?) I need action, naughty or otherwise.
I love Trent. Hardly anyone does MMF better. And I'm down with space cowboy stories. But...I wanted more romance and growth between the triad and tighter pacing with everything else. I mean, we get it: stuff is messed up, lots of mens, few ladies, opportunists abound, ladies got the power to make things right. Why, then doesn't it seem like more fun? Pacing. When Esteban, Erin, or the other dude aren't part of the action,the story drags. It's like a British Sci fi show from the 70s: LOTS of talk and detail. (Seriously, a whole scene about what to knit the baby's blanket?) I need action, naughty or otherwise.
October 7, 2020
H.E. Trent’s Crux: A Sci-Fi Romance (The Jekh Saga Book 2) (also available in The Jekh Saga Collection One: Erstwhile, Crux, and Salvo) sees Courtney’s sister Erin and brother Owen (the third) arrive on Jekh. Erin is a paramedic and Owen is into tech. Erin helps out around the farm, and ends up cuddling with Jekhan baker Headron, although she won’t actually have sex with him because she isn’t interested in a relationship. When super-dominant Esteben (Murk’s brother) decides he wants her, she does have sex with him–she believes that with him it’ll just be a one-night stand. Meanwhile, Lillian Devin, the police commissioner who’s secretly on the side of the Jekhans, sets up Eileen (Amy’s coworker) and Edgar (one of a couple of non-corrupt cops under her employ) to retrieve the elder Owen McGarry from where he’s been kept in stasis (everyone thought he was dead). It’s believed he’ll be able to bolster pro-Jekhan sentiment and help organize the Jekhans.
There’s plenty of world-building activity–the town that the McGarries and their friends have settled near could use some help, as could the farm full of people. Some stuff is low-key, like Headron starting to bake again and selling his bread in the neighboring town. Or Trig’s efforts to grow coffee beans and other human-preferred foods that aren’t native to Jekh (sounds like a route to accidentally seeding the place with invasive plants, but what do I know).
Erin spends waaay too much time and effort trying not to get involved with Headron and Esteben. I’m not surprised they got annoyed with her–I’m surprised they didn’t get more annoyed with her. Although I guess Jekhans are used to their women being prickly, so maybe it didn’t seem entirely strange to them. She has some misguided idea that by getting involved with the Jekhan men she’d be erasing their culture. Which–they’re grown men. They’re adults. They can make their own decisions with respect to culture vs. emotions. Also, the Jekhans were the ones hoping to approach the humans about needing an infusion of more viable genetic material, so wouldn’t this be something they’d already approved of? One of the hardest parts of this relationship is that Headron and Esteben start off pretty much hating each other. That becomes an interesting sub-plot.
I also like how the author establishes Esteben. He’s been in a very bad situation and was violent at first (he’s Murk’s brother, so they took him in regardless). He’s described initially as “feral.” In any other book that means he’d be growly and reticent and unapproachable even once settled down. In here, he turns out to be a charismatic merchant.
The population of Trig’s farm is basically a bunch of outsiders and outliers–both human and Jekhan. We get a little bit more of a handle on the seemingly straightforward Jekhan culture, and how much of it is really due to Tyneali cultural influence rather than actual biology. It’s interesting.
At one point Eileen and Edgar rescue a young woman who’s the product of another Tyneali experiment–more human than Jeckhan. She only speaks a few words of English, and Eileen, who’s trying to get information from her, at one point thinks, “She suspected she would have better luck getting a dog to bark the Gettysburg Adress.” That’s… icky. She’s comparing someone whose only difficulty is not having been taught a language, to an animal. That didn’t speak well of her, and I didn’t get the impression from the text around it that she was supposed to come off as bigoted.
Content note for explicit sex (mmf, mm, mf).
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/10/r...
There’s plenty of world-building activity–the town that the McGarries and their friends have settled near could use some help, as could the farm full of people. Some stuff is low-key, like Headron starting to bake again and selling his bread in the neighboring town. Or Trig’s efforts to grow coffee beans and other human-preferred foods that aren’t native to Jekh (sounds like a route to accidentally seeding the place with invasive plants, but what do I know).
Erin spends waaay too much time and effort trying not to get involved with Headron and Esteben. I’m not surprised they got annoyed with her–I’m surprised they didn’t get more annoyed with her. Although I guess Jekhans are used to their women being prickly, so maybe it didn’t seem entirely strange to them. She has some misguided idea that by getting involved with the Jekhan men she’d be erasing their culture. Which–they’re grown men. They’re adults. They can make their own decisions with respect to culture vs. emotions. Also, the Jekhans were the ones hoping to approach the humans about needing an infusion of more viable genetic material, so wouldn’t this be something they’d already approved of? One of the hardest parts of this relationship is that Headron and Esteben start off pretty much hating each other. That becomes an interesting sub-plot.
I also like how the author establishes Esteben. He’s been in a very bad situation and was violent at first (he’s Murk’s brother, so they took him in regardless). He’s described initially as “feral.” In any other book that means he’d be growly and reticent and unapproachable even once settled down. In here, he turns out to be a charismatic merchant.
The population of Trig’s farm is basically a bunch of outsiders and outliers–both human and Jekhan. We get a little bit more of a handle on the seemingly straightforward Jekhan culture, and how much of it is really due to Tyneali cultural influence rather than actual biology. It’s interesting.
At one point Eileen and Edgar rescue a young woman who’s the product of another Tyneali experiment–more human than Jeckhan. She only speaks a few words of English, and Eileen, who’s trying to get information from her, at one point thinks, “She suspected she would have better luck getting a dog to bark the Gettysburg Adress.” That’s… icky. She’s comparing someone whose only difficulty is not having been taught a language, to an animal. That didn’t speak well of her, and I didn’t get the impression from the text around it that she was supposed to come off as bigoted.
Content note for explicit sex (mmf, mm, mf).
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/10/r...
Did Not Finish
July 15, 2024DNF p. 89
I DNFed the first book in this series but I found the worldbuilding to be intriguing enough that I wanted to give the next book a try. Unfortunately, this is just not a good fit.
Characters: Erin is a human farm border patroller, colonist, and former paramedic. (She’s not been described as mixed race so far but she’s sister to the FMC from book 1 so likely this is true of her as well.) Esteban is a Jekhan man. Headron is a Jekhan baker around 40 years old. This is set in 2037 Planet Jekh.
Content notes: missing person (Headron’s uncle), physical assault, attempted land theft, colonialism, classism, Jekhan males are infertile without a secondary male’s influence, past death of secondary character’s lovers (biological warfare), past death of Esteban’s parents (killed in their sleep), past abandonment by Esteban’s lover because he was sick, past blackouts from illness (Esteban), past institutionalization (Esteban), past death of FMC’s activist grandfather, Headron’s parents sent him to be raised by his uncle, discussion of baby’s gender, pregnant secondary character, on page sex, casual acephobia, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialism, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of past weight loss
I DNFed the first book in this series but I found the worldbuilding to be intriguing enough that I wanted to give the next book a try. Unfortunately, this is just not a good fit.
Characters: Erin is a human farm border patroller, colonist, and former paramedic. (She’s not been described as mixed race so far but she’s sister to the FMC from book 1 so likely this is true of her as well.) Esteban is a Jekhan man. Headron is a Jekhan baker around 40 years old. This is set in 2037 Planet Jekh.
Content notes: missing person (Headron’s uncle), physical assault, attempted land theft, colonialism, classism, Jekhan males are infertile without a secondary male’s influence, past death of secondary character’s lovers (biological warfare), past death of Esteban’s parents (killed in their sleep), past abandonment by Esteban’s lover because he was sick, past blackouts from illness (Esteban), past institutionalization (Esteban), past death of FMC’s activist grandfather, Headron’s parents sent him to be raised by his uncle, discussion of baby’s gender, pregnant secondary character, on page sex, casual acephobia, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialism, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of past weight loss
February 11, 2019
3.5 stars
I liked it more than I did book 1, it seemed more cohesive. Still lots of worldbuilding and character building, less running around. The romance is also a lot more of a slow build in this one (far more story than sex).
CW: sex (m/f, m/m, m/m/f), violence, references to nonconsensual sex trafficking and genocide
I liked it more than I did book 1, it seemed more cohesive. Still lots of worldbuilding and character building, less running around. The romance is also a lot more of a slow build in this one (far more story than sex).
CW: sex (m/f, m/m, m/m/f), violence, references to nonconsensual sex trafficking and genocide
March 12, 2019
I quite enjoyed it, maybe even more than the first book in the series. However, a couple of things were not ideal. Esteben was downright creepy sometimes and his sudden change in attitude towards both Erin and Headron was too quick. Also I would have preferred a longer adaptation time for the trio, to see how the settled into their roles.
November 28, 2022
Loved it
Erin is so skiddish to commit to a relationship, but she has really found the two perfect men in Esteben and Headron. Watching as the men give her time and space to figure things out and watching the mystery of her missing grandfather unfold is awesome. Can't wait to read the next book.
Erin is so skiddish to commit to a relationship, but she has really found the two perfect men in Esteben and Headron. Watching as the men give her time and space to figure things out and watching the mystery of her missing grandfather unfold is awesome. Can't wait to read the next book.
September 19, 2018
In this one, the romantic arc was very separate from the larger political arc. Interesting to see the characters work out their feelings about colonization. I liked this one more than the first, and I'll keep reading.
October 7, 2018
I quite enjoyed this second book in the Jekh saga. Headron, Esteben, and Erin make a great trio, and the story deepens in this saga with the addition of Erin and her brother Owen to the series.
January 19, 2019
As enjoyable as the first. Recommended if you liked the first book.
April 9, 2020
🔥🔥🌡️🤭 just what I needed ! Perfecto para la cuarentena.
October 26, 2020
It was good, but I'm not a fan of Estaban.
Want to Read
December 10, 2023Amz Prch. Dec. 7, 2023
October 13, 2016
Loved it
I love this series. Erin McGarry is her own worst enemy and while she is strong and smart she is also a bit neurotic., with a big heart. She wants to put to right the wrongs the Terran's have caused on Jekh. She has given up on Esteben and worried about Headron's attachment to her, and wanting more than a warm body to cuddle at night to stabilize his hormones. Erin needs Esteban's dominance to pull her in and Headron's calm, and nurturing nature to keep her focused, and calm. She feels that they need to find a Jekh female to rebuild their race. They just want her to accept that Esteban and Headron's choose her. That the town wants her to be apart of their mixed community. That she is not contributing to the problems on Jekh but part of the solution. That their culture is not lost but evolving and that she can be the mother of a stronger race of Jekh people. Erin wore me out, happy her guys wore her down. Can't wait for Owen's story, as well as Amy and Breanna. Hopefully Edgar and Eileen, enen if it unfolds as a side plot in the next few books!
I love this series. Erin McGarry is her own worst enemy and while she is strong and smart she is also a bit neurotic., with a big heart. She wants to put to right the wrongs the Terran's have caused on Jekh. She has given up on Esteben and worried about Headron's attachment to her, and wanting more than a warm body to cuddle at night to stabilize his hormones. Erin needs Esteban's dominance to pull her in and Headron's calm, and nurturing nature to keep her focused, and calm. She feels that they need to find a Jekh female to rebuild their race. They just want her to accept that Esteban and Headron's choose her. That the town wants her to be apart of their mixed community. That she is not contributing to the problems on Jekh but part of the solution. That their culture is not lost but evolving and that she can be the mother of a stronger race of Jekh people. Erin wore me out, happy her guys wore her down. Can't wait for Owen's story, as well as Amy and Breanna. Hopefully Edgar and Eileen, enen if it unfolds as a side plot in the next few books!
October 12, 2016
I have to say that I was so anxious and excited to read this book since the first book in the series was so good. While I enjoyed this story a lot it wasn't what I expected and I feel a little bit let down. Erin is everything I love in a heroine but her insecurity and indecisiveness was a little annoying also I wanted more romance and chemistry and growth between the traid. I understand that there was a lot of drama going on and tensions are high but I felt things between Esteban and Headron was kinda rushed and the only reason they got together was for the sake of Erin. Also at some part of the story it just felt like it just dragged on I guess I needed more action between the trio or action in general. Overall a good story can't wait to see what's going to happen next. I voluntarily read and review this ARC of this book
April 5, 2017
The plot, it thickens! as do other things *waggles eyebrows*
I'm awake now so I'm gonna add something to this. This book continues the successful combination of romance, skulduggery, and a critical eye on colonialism. In this we also get more self-determination and damaged people being stronger together than apart.
I'm awake now so I'm gonna add something to this. This book continues the successful combination of romance, skulduggery, and a critical eye on colonialism. In this we also get more self-determination and damaged people being stronger together than apart.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews