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Love and War #1
Antidote
They're fighting the same battle. They just don't know it yet.
Skye Chantrell has just escaped a war zone.
She’s carrying the stolen antidote to a deadly bioweapon.
When her damaged shuttle crashes on a remote lunar outpost, she’s captured by the leader of a rogue group of barbaric aliens. Now her people’s survival—not to mention her own—rests in the hands of the Seven Systems’ most feared and hated criminal.
A man with the face of a brutal thug, and the eyes of an angel.
* * *
Hunter Tarthasian has every reason to hate the Regime.
He and his comrades have gone rogue, vowing to use every means at their disposal to bring down the evil Premiere. Now, they're hunted and on the run, holed up in an abandoned outpost while they plan their next move. The last thing Hunter needs is a female human civvy with a terrible secret crash-landing on his doorstep. Especially when she starts to awaken feelings in him that he has no place for.
Feelings that could very easily get all of them killed.
* * *
From award-winning author R. A. Steffan comes a sizzling new sci-fi romance series, perfect for fans of J. R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Strap in tight, because all's fair in LOVE AND WAR.
Skye Chantrell has just escaped a war zone.
She’s carrying the stolen antidote to a deadly bioweapon.
When her damaged shuttle crashes on a remote lunar outpost, she’s captured by the leader of a rogue group of barbaric aliens. Now her people’s survival—not to mention her own—rests in the hands of the Seven Systems’ most feared and hated criminal.
A man with the face of a brutal thug, and the eyes of an angel.
* * *
Hunter Tarthasian has every reason to hate the Regime.
He and his comrades have gone rogue, vowing to use every means at their disposal to bring down the evil Premiere. Now, they're hunted and on the run, holed up in an abandoned outpost while they plan their next move. The last thing Hunter needs is a female human civvy with a terrible secret crash-landing on his doorstep. Especially when she starts to awaken feelings in him that he has no place for.
Feelings that could very easily get all of them killed.
* * *
From award-winning author R. A. Steffan comes a sizzling new sci-fi romance series, perfect for fans of J. R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Strap in tight, because all's fair in LOVE AND WAR.
254 pages, Paperback
First published July 29, 2017
327 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Steffan
85 books503 followersUSA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan lives in New Mexico, where the sunsets paint the mountains purple, and roadrunners roam the desert endlessly in search of their coyote victims. When she’s not busy writing stories about people loving each other in all sorts of different and interesting ways, she can be found taking care of her small menagerie of critters.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
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December 23, 2019
Rating: 4 action packed stars
March 8, 2023
Was looking for a new series to binge but unfortunately this wasn't it.
January 16, 2019
Three and a half
Skye and Hunter are the couple who dominate this book but I actually found myself wanting to know more about the supporting characters. It's a sci fi romance but the plot about the humans being in danger of annihilation had great possibilities. Our heroine has the formula for the antidote to a biological weapon devised by her own father but has to find help and that's where Hunter and his co horts come in.
This had all the elements of what could be a very interesting space opera. Interesting plot, diverse characters and romance. On the romance front I was quite surprised by the authors unique idea of 'knotting' which made me smile as I couldn't help but feel there was a sense of roll reversal and girl power ! This was free on kindle and well worth a read
Skye and Hunter are the couple who dominate this book but I actually found myself wanting to know more about the supporting characters. It's a sci fi romance but the plot about the humans being in danger of annihilation had great possibilities. Our heroine has the formula for the antidote to a biological weapon devised by her own father but has to find help and that's where Hunter and his co horts come in.
This had all the elements of what could be a very interesting space opera. Interesting plot, diverse characters and romance. On the romance front I was quite surprised by the authors unique idea of 'knotting' which made me smile as I couldn't help but feel there was a sense of roll reversal and girl power ! This was free on kindle and well worth a read
April 8, 2022
At first I was pleasantly surprised that this book presented a real, thought through story plot.
Which is rare for these kinds of sci-fi romances.
And in general the first book in the Love and War series was entertaining.
But halfway through it got sloppy.
The romance that began so promising was suddenly rushed into. First night together and they already talk about love. That ruined the authentic slow burn romance that was developing.
But not only that, the plot started to show fissures. Amongst other things, it wasn’t believable that a simple short speech, from an unbeknownst human woman, would be taken serious at all and even spark a full blown revolution with humans flooding the streets. The author didn’t give enough evidence that such an unlikely scenario could be a possibility in this town. The timeline of the release of the toxin was also purely random just fitting the plot and not really on a plausible basis. And not to mention the silly notion of still releasing it after the publication of a possible antidote.
The writing is average but the world building and descriptions should be a little more vivid. Especially when you deal with intergalactic species of which I can picture his dick more precisely than his looks in general.
Why I said sloppy, the author proofed she can do better and it simply felt rushed in the end causing careless mistakes and no proper conclusion. The whole history of the conflict of the two species isn’t even given.
Which is rare for these kinds of sci-fi romances.
And in general the first book in the Love and War series was entertaining.
But halfway through it got sloppy.
The romance that began so promising was suddenly rushed into. First night together and they already talk about love. That ruined the authentic slow burn romance that was developing.
But not only that, the plot started to show fissures. Amongst other things, it wasn’t believable that a simple short speech, from an unbeknownst human woman, would be taken serious at all and even spark a full blown revolution with humans flooding the streets. The author didn’t give enough evidence that such an unlikely scenario could be a possibility in this town. The timeline of the release of the toxin was also purely random just fitting the plot and not really on a plausible basis. And not to mention the silly notion of still releasing it after the publication of a possible antidote.
The writing is average but the world building and descriptions should be a little more vivid. Especially when you deal with intergalactic species of which I can picture his dick more precisely than his looks in general.
Why I said sloppy, the author proofed she can do better and it simply felt rushed in the end causing careless mistakes and no proper conclusion. The whole history of the conflict of the two species isn’t even given.
September 3, 2020
What an unfortunate turn of events. Let me clarify this, because 3 stars is absolutely NOT a bad rating.
I am kind of angry at this book because I went in expecting it to be an alien romance or something along the lines and was so pleasantly surprised when I got to the 50% mark because:
1) this was shaping to be a delicious slow-burn, which, if you know me, I am a sucker for (blue-balls all the way for me, tysm)
2) the sci-fi aspect of this book was so freaking good and not even remotely boring, so much I looked up actual space opera books (ones without romances in them) just to see what's up (yes, it was that good, for me at least)
AND THEN
everything kinda sorta fell apart because they went from "yeah, he kinda cute" to "the man I LOVE"??? girlfriend, not love, please.
All in all, I loved the found family aspect of this book and the characters were amazing but the romance was so unconvincing and unbelievable. I did not care about them at all, I just cared about the plot and the story and everyone else in their little patched-up family.
Could've been such a fantastic 4-star story for, dammit!!!
Anyways, brb, imma go hunt for some space operas, James S. A. Corey here I come
I am kind of angry at this book because I went in expecting it to be an alien romance or something along the lines and was so pleasantly surprised when I got to the 50% mark because:
1) this was shaping to be a delicious slow-burn, which, if you know me, I am a sucker for (blue-balls all the way for me, tysm)
2) the sci-fi aspect of this book was so freaking good and not even remotely boring, so much I looked up actual space opera books (ones without romances in them) just to see what's up (yes, it was that good, for me at least)
AND THEN
everything kinda sorta fell apart because they went from "yeah, he kinda cute" to "the man I LOVE"??? girlfriend, not love, please.
All in all, I loved the found family aspect of this book and the characters were amazing but the romance was so unconvincing and unbelievable. I did not care about them at all, I just cared about the plot and the story and everyone else in their little patched-up family.
Could've been such a fantastic 4-star story for, dammit!!!
Anyways, brb, imma go hunt for some space operas, James S. A. Corey here I come
April 27, 2018
4.25 ***
I liked this sci fi audio book. Skye is a human accountant living under a strict political regime who's majority is made up of aliens. Her father's a scientist who has been coerced into developing a bio weapon to kill humans. Along with the bio weapon he also creates the antidote. As Skye escapes with the antidote but crash lands on a moon that happens to be occupied with rebels. Working together they come up with a plan to disperse the antidote and strike a blow against the Regime. I thought Skye and Hunter made a good couple. Hunter felt his species mating instinct toward Skye but he wasn't ruled by it. I also liked that there was more story then sex. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
I liked this sci fi audio book. Skye is a human accountant living under a strict political regime who's majority is made up of aliens. Her father's a scientist who has been coerced into developing a bio weapon to kill humans. Along with the bio weapon he also creates the antidote. As Skye escapes with the antidote but crash lands on a moon that happens to be occupied with rebels. Working together they come up with a plan to disperse the antidote and strike a blow against the Regime. I thought Skye and Hunter made a good couple. Hunter felt his species mating instinct toward Skye but he wasn't ruled by it. I also liked that there was more story then sex. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Want to read
July 4, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/4/2019)! 🎁
August 9, 2019
Entertaining. Reviewing. Not now.
June 5, 2023
I was really excited for this book. I saw the new covers in an author group I'm in ages ago and was waiting to buy the paperbacks of the series until they were updated. Lol. (Then I ended up getting the omnibus audiobook to listen at work.)
Overall, this book was decent. The main characters have plenty of trauma in their pasts, though I wish we'd learned more about the other characters. The complete lack of backstory for most of them made them feel a little one dimensional at times. I assume it's meant to leave mystery for the next four books though.
I saw a few reviews that called Skye whiny, but I didn't get that from her. Grieving, yes. Struggling to acclimate to a spy/war/rebellion/outlaw situation having been a completely normal accountant before, yes. Trying her best, yes. But I didn't get whiny.
The dystopian vibes were strong. Family members dead or in prisons (that are more like black holes since no one ever get out) and bioweapon genocide tend to really scream dystopia. Lol.
The chemistry between Skye and Hunter could've been stronger, but it wasn't bad.
My main problem with this book was that neither of the main characters played pivotal roles in the set up for the release of the antidote. They don't have science backgrounds, so engineering the antidote wasn't something they could do. They don't have tech backgrounds, so setting up radio transmitters and computer stuff wasn't their thing.
Which means they just kinda... sat around while the other people on their team did the work. Sure, Hunter was coming up with plans, but there was nothing for Skye to do except wait for people to be hungry so she could heat up a few meals.
It did provide an opportunity for Skye to finally have to face all the losses she suffered just before the book starts. Idle hands allowed her mind to wander, which allowed grief to take hold. I get that. And that, in turn, provided an opportunity for Hunter to comfort her.
But until it actually hit her, it made for a few boring sections.
And then, the big fight sequence went shockingly, boringly smoothly for a while, with whole sections of fighting being either skipped (with inexplicably injured characters in the next scene) or dragged out. And then, of course, it all went sideways and got interesting again.
Another small gripe. I know opening the book with a space shuttle crash is pretty impactful, but opening up with the scene where she's running from the Regime and losing family members in the process would've also been pretty impactful. Seeing it at the start of the book would've strengthened all the call backs to it later, so I really don't know why the author chose to skip that.
Oh, and the audiobook narration was... unfortunate. I'd definitely recommend reading the ebook or a physical copy instead. The accents for Hunter, Ryder, and the other non-human characters ranged from vaguely Russian to vaguely Jamaican at times, and when speaking as Skye, the narrator overacted a bit. It was especially jarring during emotional scenes and the one intimate scene.
Overall, this book was decent. The main characters have plenty of trauma in their pasts, though I wish we'd learned more about the other characters. The complete lack of backstory for most of them made them feel a little one dimensional at times. I assume it's meant to leave mystery for the next four books though.
I saw a few reviews that called Skye whiny, but I didn't get that from her. Grieving, yes. Struggling to acclimate to a spy/war/rebellion/outlaw situation having been a completely normal accountant before, yes. Trying her best, yes. But I didn't get whiny.
The dystopian vibes were strong. Family members dead or in prisons (that are more like black holes since no one ever get out) and bioweapon genocide tend to really scream dystopia. Lol.
The chemistry between Skye and Hunter could've been stronger, but it wasn't bad.
My main problem with this book was that neither of the main characters played pivotal roles in the set up for the release of the antidote. They don't have science backgrounds, so engineering the antidote wasn't something they could do. They don't have tech backgrounds, so setting up radio transmitters and computer stuff wasn't their thing.
Which means they just kinda... sat around while the other people on their team did the work. Sure, Hunter was coming up with plans, but there was nothing for Skye to do except wait for people to be hungry so she could heat up a few meals.
It did provide an opportunity for Skye to finally have to face all the losses she suffered just before the book starts. Idle hands allowed her mind to wander, which allowed grief to take hold. I get that. And that, in turn, provided an opportunity for Hunter to comfort her.
But until it actually hit her, it made for a few boring sections.
And then, the big fight sequence went shockingly, boringly smoothly for a while, with whole sections of fighting being either skipped (with inexplicably injured characters in the next scene) or dragged out. And then, of course, it all went sideways and got interesting again.
Another small gripe. I know opening the book with a space shuttle crash is pretty impactful, but opening up with the scene where she's running from the Regime and losing family members in the process would've also been pretty impactful. Seeing it at the start of the book would've strengthened all the call backs to it later, so I really don't know why the author chose to skip that.
Oh, and the audiobook narration was... unfortunate. I'd definitely recommend reading the ebook or a physical copy instead. The accents for Hunter, Ryder, and the other non-human characters ranged from vaguely Russian to vaguely Jamaican at times, and when speaking as Skye, the narrator overacted a bit. It was especially jarring during emotional scenes and the one intimate scene.
July 4, 2023
Series: Love and War #1
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
It’s been years since I read this book but it was just as good as I remembered. Skye Chantrell escaped a war zone carrying a stolen antidote for a deadly bioweapon targeted towards humans. Her damaged shuttle crashes on a remote lunar outpost and into one of the Seven Systems' more feared criminal’s hands. But this brutal criminal isn’t what she expected and she quickly finds herself falling for him, and he for her.
This was an absolute wonderful blend of romance and action, and just everything I love about sci-fi romance. Hunter and Skye start off a little rocky considering Skye thinks he is the worst criminal in the world but quickly their feelings can’t be ignored. I loved that while this is a fated mates story, we still see their relationship build and grow. It’s not an instant love fated mates story, which was perfect for the situation and these characters. Also, I really wasn’t expecting the Vithii mating practices but it was hot!
While these two are falling for each other, I loved that they remained focused on the mission at hand. While Skye initially seems to be out of her depth at sabotage, we quickly see that she has a core of steel and can be quite deadly with a gun when necessary. I love when we get a strong heroine who also isn’t afraid to show her grief and vulnerable side. I also appreciated that while Hunter had an extreme need to protect Skye, he fights it and lets her participate in the mission.
Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful start to a series and I cannot wait to see what will happen next. Also, I really love this crew and can’t wait to learn more about them.
Trigger Warnings: Skye's father was killed in front of her; grief; death of parents discussed; PTSD;
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good
It’s been years since I read this book but it was just as good as I remembered. Skye Chantrell escaped a war zone carrying a stolen antidote for a deadly bioweapon targeted towards humans. Her damaged shuttle crashes on a remote lunar outpost and into one of the Seven Systems' more feared criminal’s hands. But this brutal criminal isn’t what she expected and she quickly finds herself falling for him, and he for her.
This was an absolute wonderful blend of romance and action, and just everything I love about sci-fi romance. Hunter and Skye start off a little rocky considering Skye thinks he is the worst criminal in the world but quickly their feelings can’t be ignored. I loved that while this is a fated mates story, we still see their relationship build and grow. It’s not an instant love fated mates story, which was perfect for the situation and these characters. Also, I really wasn’t expecting the Vithii mating practices but it was hot!
While these two are falling for each other, I loved that they remained focused on the mission at hand. While Skye initially seems to be out of her depth at sabotage, we quickly see that she has a core of steel and can be quite deadly with a gun when necessary. I love when we get a strong heroine who also isn’t afraid to show her grief and vulnerable side. I also appreciated that while Hunter had an extreme need to protect Skye, he fights it and lets her participate in the mission.
Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful start to a series and I cannot wait to see what will happen next. Also, I really love this crew and can’t wait to learn more about them.
Trigger Warnings: Skye's father was killed in front of her; grief; death of parents discussed; PTSD;
May 24, 2018
This was pretty good, but a little too "insta-love" for me.
March 13, 2019
A fun, fast read. There is some pretty major insta-love and I'm left with many (many) questions, but it was a reasonable read as long as you let yourself be swept along.
If you stop and think about it, the plot doesn't make a great deal of sense and nothing is really described or explained, but if you want a quick alpha m/f romance, you could do worse.
If you stop and think about it, the plot doesn't make a great deal of sense and nothing is really described or explained, but if you want a quick alpha m/f romance, you could do worse.
October 3, 2021
enjoyed
This was an interesting book and I liked it. I liked the characters and the writing. Was my first book from this author and it will now be my last.
This was an interesting book and I liked it. I liked the characters and the writing. Was my first book from this author and it will now be my last.
November 3, 2018
What a wonderful start !!
I enjoyed book ! Wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I got was action , adventure , suspense , and even some laughter ! The characters feed off of each other in the most delightful ways , and I am looking forward to more on the this series i!!
I enjoyed book ! Wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I got was action , adventure , suspense , and even some laughter ! The characters feed off of each other in the most delightful ways , and I am looking forward to more on the this series i!!
September 21, 2018
Hmm
Interesting premise. Major instalove with random alien proclivities. Likeable characters. SHrug on the conflict. No interest in the second. .
Interesting premise. Major instalove with random alien proclivities. Likeable characters. SHrug on the conflict. No interest in the second. .
August 27, 2019
I was so aggravated by this book that I began skimming around the 75% mark. My personal rule is I don't rate books that I don't finish, but I really wanted to rate this one so I forced myself to finish it, even if that meant skimming the last 80 or so pages.
First of all, for a book that is supposed to be a science fiction romance, there isn't much science fiction. Or much real romance for that matter. I think this book easily could have been a modern "suspense" (because, let's be honest, there really wasn't any suspense either) rather than tagged as science fiction. The most science fictiony bits came in the form of spacecraft, teleportation, laser guns, and a cyborg. The rest of this was thinly veiled science fiction by adding random words.
There was no world building at all. We know that the Vithii are the dominant species (though the only thing that really separates them physically from humans is their weird dicks). We sort of know that they use humans as sex slaves, though this section seemed superfluous to the entire book since it was only brought up once. What else do we know about the Vithii? Not much. In fact, they use military time, drive vehicles that appear to be identical to what we as humans use, and act pretty much like humans. As I said, there was no world building or differentiating between Vithii and humans.
As for the romance, I don't understand how Hunter and Skye managed to fall in love when they had very few interactions and even fewer conversations. It was just, boom! We're in love. This is a clear cut case of instalove with no base for emotions to develop.
I think this plot would have been great if there had been better world building (or any at all!) and any kind of emotional development by either main character. The fact that they needed an antidote to protect an entire species from genocide is intriguing, but the story was handled poorly.
What I did like about the book: the secondary characters. I'm specifically talking about Kade, Draven, and Ash. Kade is an interesting case because of his addiction. I definitely felt some vibes between Draven and Ash, but I think there's a lot more going on with Ash than he's willing to tell the rest of the crew.
Though those three hold the potential for good stories, I won't be continuing with this series.
First of all, for a book that is supposed to be a science fiction romance, there isn't much science fiction. Or much real romance for that matter. I think this book easily could have been a modern "suspense" (because, let's be honest, there really wasn't any suspense either) rather than tagged as science fiction. The most science fictiony bits came in the form of spacecraft, teleportation, laser guns, and a cyborg. The rest of this was thinly veiled science fiction by adding random words.
There was no world building at all. We know that the Vithii are the dominant species (though the only thing that really separates them physically from humans is their weird dicks). We sort of know that they use humans as sex slaves, though this section seemed superfluous to the entire book since it was only brought up once. What else do we know about the Vithii? Not much. In fact, they use military time, drive vehicles that appear to be identical to what we as humans use, and act pretty much like humans. As I said, there was no world building or differentiating between Vithii and humans.
As for the romance, I don't understand how Hunter and Skye managed to fall in love when they had very few interactions and even fewer conversations. It was just, boom! We're in love. This is a clear cut case of instalove with no base for emotions to develop.
I think this plot would have been great if there had been better world building (or any at all!) and any kind of emotional development by either main character. The fact that they needed an antidote to protect an entire species from genocide is intriguing, but the story was handled poorly.
What I did like about the book: the secondary characters. I'm specifically talking about Kade, Draven, and Ash. Kade is an interesting case because of his addiction. I definitely felt some vibes between Draven and Ash, but I think there's a lot more going on with Ash than he's willing to tell the rest of the crew.
Though those three hold the potential for good stories, I won't be continuing with this series.
July 21, 2018
4 Stars - I enjoyed this story.
Skye Chantrall is thrust into a deadly situation by her father. He was scientist who was taken and forced to create a poison that will only effect the humans in the Capital of the Vithii Regime. This wasn't something he wanted to do, so he secretly created an antidote to the poison. Only problem is he has to get it into the right hands so this genocide is stopped. He places it on a chip and uses Skye to get it off the planet. Only she doesn't make her destination.
Hunter is a Vithii who will do whatever he can to stop the corrupt Regime. His big problem is the Regime has gone to great length to create a persona that cause people to fear him. Which in turn makes him a target. So he and his band of men/women do their best to stay hidden.
Skye's relic of a ship is fired upon and she ends up crash landing. Hunter and his group find her, which scares the crap out of her because she's grown up with propaganda the Regime has feed the pubic. Only to find out she's found the perfect group of people to try and help her prevent the annihilation of the human population.
Skye Chantrall is thrust into a deadly situation by her father. He was scientist who was taken and forced to create a poison that will only effect the humans in the Capital of the Vithii Regime. This wasn't something he wanted to do, so he secretly created an antidote to the poison. Only problem is he has to get it into the right hands so this genocide is stopped. He places it on a chip and uses Skye to get it off the planet. Only she doesn't make her destination.
Hunter is a Vithii who will do whatever he can to stop the corrupt Regime. His big problem is the Regime has gone to great length to create a persona that cause people to fear him. Which in turn makes him a target. So he and his band of men/women do their best to stay hidden.
Skye's relic of a ship is fired upon and she ends up crash landing. Hunter and his group find her, which scares the crap out of her because she's grown up with propaganda the Regime has feed the pubic. Only to find out she's found the perfect group of people to try and help her prevent the annihilation of the human population.
August 4, 2018
Despite this being a very interesting idea, i felt there were too many conflicting characterizations. Unfortunately this book didn't do it for me.
September 4, 2018
This is a solid scifi adventure romance from an author whose works have been in the fantasy genre. What we have here is a human (Skye) trying to bring the antidote (book title) to people how can help get it out before the story’s big bad can release it onto the unsuspecting public. Skye’s damaged shuttle lands with the aliens (the humanoid-looking Vithii) she’s been conditioned to think are the enemy. This almost Robin Hood like band of miscreants (Yes, it’s lampshaded in the story) try to help Skye, and in the process, she and the imposing leader she feared the most, Hunter, fall in love.
The story doesn’t break new ground, but it doesn’t intend to, either. It’s just fun! It highlights science in a very cool way as the team use nanobots to synthesize the antidote. The Firefly reference for me is when Ash, the only other human on the crew, rather merrily tells Skye that they are most definitely criminals. [Simon: So, what are we doing? Kaylee: [looks up] Oh, crime. Simon: Crime! Good! Okay! Crime. ] As for the Star Wars similarities, it’s that small band of rebels fighting the big bad, here called the Regime.
Some of the best parts of the story are the side characters. My personal favorites are Ash and Ryder, the Vithii medic with an acerbic tongue. Ash’s prequel story is available as an author extra. I hope we see more of him. As for Ryder, something about her prickly personality and what might have made her no longer a doctor intrigues me. The author intends on writing more with this series, and I do hope both these characters get further treatment.
I was also hoping that Skye’s missing brother Temple would get a story even though we don’t learn much of him because that seemed a logical place to go. Not to drop too many spoilers, but I might get my wish for that one after all.
This book was narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor, who once again did an exemplary job. She is always very clear and distinct with the tones she uses from the narrative passages and to the speaking parts. She manages different voices for her people that sound similar to other works she’s performed without being direct copies. (I thought her Skye voice was rather similar to her Favian voice from The Horse Mistress world but without the “stuck on the precipice of puberty” pinch.) Some listeners dislike when a female narrator tries a male voice, or vice versa, but I have never had a problem with Druyor’s male voices.
So if you even vaguely like scifi adventure where the little guy defeats the big bad… this will work for you. It doesn’t hurt that there’s a nice little romance tied with an HEA bow.
The story doesn’t break new ground, but it doesn’t intend to, either. It’s just fun! It highlights science in a very cool way as the team use nanobots to synthesize the antidote. The Firefly reference for me is when Ash, the only other human on the crew, rather merrily tells Skye that they are most definitely criminals. [Simon: So, what are we doing? Kaylee: [looks up] Oh, crime. Simon: Crime! Good! Okay! Crime. ] As for the Star Wars similarities, it’s that small band of rebels fighting the big bad, here called the Regime.
Some of the best parts of the story are the side characters. My personal favorites are Ash and Ryder, the Vithii medic with an acerbic tongue. Ash’s prequel story is available as an author extra. I hope we see more of him. As for Ryder, something about her prickly personality and what might have made her no longer a doctor intrigues me. The author intends on writing more with this series, and I do hope both these characters get further treatment.
I was also hoping that Skye’s missing brother Temple would get a story even though we don’t learn much of him because that seemed a logical place to go. Not to drop too many spoilers, but I might get my wish for that one after all.
This book was narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor, who once again did an exemplary job. She is always very clear and distinct with the tones she uses from the narrative passages and to the speaking parts. She manages different voices for her people that sound similar to other works she’s performed without being direct copies. (I thought her Skye voice was rather similar to her Favian voice from The Horse Mistress world but without the “stuck on the precipice of puberty” pinch.) Some listeners dislike when a female narrator tries a male voice, or vice versa, but I have never had a problem with Druyor’s male voices.
So if you even vaguely like scifi adventure where the little guy defeats the big bad… this will work for you. It doesn’t hurt that there’s a nice little romance tied with an HEA bow.
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March 2, 2025DROPPED. SUPER NOT FEELING IT
I have been waiting for this book for like FOREVER, and I'm sad to say I'm DISAPPOINTED.
I got bored 12 Chapters in, and the only character I seem to like is the nasty and assholish KADE.
HUNTER may be the leader of the ragtag crew, but I felt like KADE was running ship most of the time. The romance I saw from the other reviews is said to be slow burn - umm really? I haven't reached that part when I dropped the story, but I could tell you that it's close to insta-love vibes from how Hunter suddenly developed "mating bond" habits with a human stranger he never met. Boooorrriinngg!!
SKYE was not my type at all. Someone called her whiny, but I found her to be a little dumb and weak. I'm sorry, it may be callous of me when she's being thrust into a situation surrounded by really mean and capable Vithii that Skye seems washed out. I love a kickass heroine and she was anything BUT.
She cried at a drop of a hat, was so fearful of the "aliens". Okay, so she was brainwashed and conditioned by her government to hate Vithii, so that I could close an eye on that revelation. Secondly, she doesn't make smart decisions, and often parrots after the guys, like stating or questioning obvious statements that make you want to eye-roll. She's no tough cookie, and there's NO COMPARISON to heroines from authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon, Nalini Singh and etc. I find her TRYING TO COPE with the situation ANNOYING. She's just annoying.
It might be cruel of me to judge her - being human and all - dropped in a life and death situation. Pfft, i've read plenty of Sci-fi romances with similar situations and trust me when I say there are better heroines who are AFRAID but they still pull through. Skye was JUST ANNOYING.
OVERALL what a shame to drop this. I don't see other reviewers ranting about this but I JUST HAVE TO SAY IT.
I have been waiting for this book for like FOREVER, and I'm sad to say I'm DISAPPOINTED.
I got bored 12 Chapters in, and the only character I seem to like is the nasty and assholish KADE.
HUNTER may be the leader of the ragtag crew, but I felt like KADE was running ship most of the time. The romance I saw from the other reviews is said to be slow burn - umm really? I haven't reached that part when I dropped the story, but I could tell you that it's close to insta-love vibes from how Hunter suddenly developed "mating bond" habits with a human stranger he never met. Boooorrriinngg!!
SKYE was not my type at all. Someone called her whiny, but I found her to be a little dumb and weak. I'm sorry, it may be callous of me when she's being thrust into a situation surrounded by really mean and capable Vithii that Skye seems washed out. I love a kickass heroine and she was anything BUT.
She cried at a drop of a hat, was so fearful of the "aliens". Okay, so she was brainwashed and conditioned by her government to hate Vithii, so that I could close an eye on that revelation. Secondly, she doesn't make smart decisions, and often parrots after the guys, like stating or questioning obvious statements that make you want to eye-roll. She's no tough cookie, and there's NO COMPARISON to heroines from authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon, Nalini Singh and etc. I find her TRYING TO COPE with the situation ANNOYING. She's just annoying.
It might be cruel of me to judge her - being human and all - dropped in a life and death situation. Pfft, i've read plenty of Sci-fi romances with similar situations and trust me when I say there are better heroines who are AFRAID but they still pull through. Skye was JUST ANNOYING.
OVERALL what a shame to drop this. I don't see other reviewers ranting about this but I JUST HAVE TO SAY IT.
October 12, 2025
Entire series is on Spotify Premium! I think at least the first 3 are on Hoopla. I've just started this after reading the sample on Amazon. I'm so excited!! I have been searching for a sci-fi romance series and was feeling discouraged. There are so many highly rated series that I've tried, only to find they didn't live up to the ranking. I'm feeling so optimistic about this one. Not going to over-hype it in my head, but ... yayyy... getting into it! It starts with action! No boring info dump. Coherent writing!! That's what I'm talking about! 😁
Update: just over 12% in. The story is great. Awesome cast of characters. It has that band of brothers (and sisters), found family, loyal comrade vibe that I love. The pace, the exposition, revealing earlier events, all of it is really working.
But. Yes, there is a BUT. If you like the explicit kind of alien,sex where there's a lot of talk that includes words like sphincter and knotting, lol, okay, you're in for a treat. As for myself, ahem... not so much. I just can't. Every time I read that I just can't suppress a vivid memory of my Mom hosing a neighbour's dog, to get him off our dog. He was just stuck to her and someone,said, "no good, you'll have to wait he's knotted in her." I was so grossed out. That horrible feeling, that visceral uggghhhh comes over me every time I read that word in this context. I swear, it should have a content warning.
Anyyyyyyywayyyy... I'm still reading the rest. (okay, listening because I could only get the audio books for free, kind of) I'll simply skip the sex bits. Haha. Bits. Naughty.
Final edit. Stayed up late and finished this one. No c changes. Everything I said stands. The alien sex - if you're into that, enjoy. If not, do what I did, and skip it. Very decent little scj-fi romance
Update: just over 12% in. The story is great. Awesome cast of characters. It has that band of brothers (and sisters), found family, loyal comrade vibe that I love. The pace, the exposition, revealing earlier events, all of it is really working.
But. Yes, there is a BUT. If you like the explicit kind of alien,sex where there's a lot of talk that includes words like sphincter and knotting, lol, okay, you're in for a treat. As for myself, ahem... not so much. I just can't. Every time I read that I just can't suppress a vivid memory of my Mom hosing a neighbour's dog, to get him off our dog. He was just stuck to her and someone,said, "no good, you'll have to wait he's knotted in her." I was so grossed out. That horrible feeling, that visceral uggghhhh comes over me every time I read that word in this context. I swear, it should have a content warning.
Anyyyyyyywayyyy... I'm still reading the rest. (okay, listening because I could only get the audio books for free, kind of) I'll simply skip the sex bits. Haha. Bits. Naughty.
Final edit. Stayed up late and finished this one. No c changes. Everything I said stands. The alien sex - if you're into that, enjoy. If not, do what I did, and skip it. Very decent little scj-fi romance
October 6, 2017
I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit that when I first received this audiobook I was 100% excited!!! I love Sci-Fi and I love finding new authors and I love a new take and new 'aliens'. I love that Earth was not the planet that the humans were on. I would have loved a back story on this new world and how humans and 'aliens' came to live on one planet.
I love Sky and Hunter. I loved the fact that it was not an instant love fest. They did not meet fall into bed and the fall in love within 6 hours. I like the gradual build up of their relationship. I also loved all the other characters. There are so many questions that I need answered and I cannot wait to continue to follow this journey.
I like the narrator as well. She did a wonderful job doing different voices when it came to the characters. Sometimes every character seems to sound a like however Gwendolyn did not do that. She brought all the characters to life. This is the fist audiobook that I have heard from her and I will be on the lookout for other books that she has narrated.
I need to know more about Ash and what he does for the information that he seems to get. Why does Ash have a sardonic look on his face when it comes to mentioning family. Also what is between him and Draven? Ryder is keeping secrets and I need to know what happened to her in her past. Cade is also someone that I need to know more about. We got some information however we need to know more about his family dynamic. I need to know about Hunter and about Skye. Will Skye ever find out what happened to the rest of her family? I need to know ALL the answers to these questions.
I have to admit that when I first received this audiobook I was 100% excited!!! I love Sci-Fi and I love finding new authors and I love a new take and new 'aliens'. I love that Earth was not the planet that the humans were on. I would have loved a back story on this new world and how humans and 'aliens' came to live on one planet.
I love Sky and Hunter. I loved the fact that it was not an instant love fest. They did not meet fall into bed and the fall in love within 6 hours. I like the gradual build up of their relationship. I also loved all the other characters. There are so many questions that I need answered and I cannot wait to continue to follow this journey.
I like the narrator as well. She did a wonderful job doing different voices when it came to the characters. Sometimes every character seems to sound a like however Gwendolyn did not do that. She brought all the characters to life. This is the fist audiobook that I have heard from her and I will be on the lookout for other books that she has narrated.
I need to know more about Ash and what he does for the information that he seems to get. Why does Ash have a sardonic look on his face when it comes to mentioning family. Also what is between him and Draven? Ryder is keeping secrets and I need to know what happened to her in her past. Cade is also someone that I need to know more about. We got some information however we need to know more about his family dynamic. I need to know about Hunter and about Skye. Will Skye ever find out what happened to the rest of her family? I need to know ALL the answers to these questions.
May 23, 2019
Hunter is the leader of a bunch of rebels, they are wanted men, and they hiding from the regime whilst they plan their next move.
Hunter hates the Premiere (after killing someone he loved very dearly) and is planning on taking it out. What he doesn’t count on is a shuttle crashing on his outpost.
Skye is on the run, she’s stolen an antidote to a new weapon the regime has created. (her father was ordered by the alien race the “Vithii”to kill all humans, but he’s also created an antidote) She’s escaped, but that was the easy part! She’s crashed on what looks like an abandoned outpost, passing out from the crash, she hopes this is isn’t the end ....
Both Skye and Hunter have reasons not to trust no another, she doesn’t know if he will hand her and the antidote over, and Hunter just doesn’t trust her, even though his mating instincts are kicking in.
But they do agree on one thing, they need to release the antidote and save the humans.
The story is well written, the characters likeable, a few moments where you laugh, and the sex doesn’t go on for pages and pages and pages 🤪
It’s a fun read and there are more in the series. I’ll probably go back and read the rest at some point (but I have plenty on my kindle to keep me going for a while) 😉
🦋
Hunter hates the Premiere (after killing someone he loved very dearly) and is planning on taking it out. What he doesn’t count on is a shuttle crashing on his outpost.
Skye is on the run, she’s stolen an antidote to a new weapon the regime has created. (her father was ordered by the alien race the “Vithii”to kill all humans, but he’s also created an antidote) She’s escaped, but that was the easy part! She’s crashed on what looks like an abandoned outpost, passing out from the crash, she hopes this is isn’t the end ....
Both Skye and Hunter have reasons not to trust no another, she doesn’t know if he will hand her and the antidote over, and Hunter just doesn’t trust her, even though his mating instincts are kicking in.
But they do agree on one thing, they need to release the antidote and save the humans.
The story is well written, the characters likeable, a few moments where you laugh, and the sex doesn’t go on for pages and pages and pages 🤪
It’s a fun read and there are more in the series. I’ll probably go back and read the rest at some point (but I have plenty on my kindle to keep me going for a while) 😉
🦋
July 30, 2019
Straight Forward Sci-Fi Romance
I’d probably give this 3.5⭐️ if I could.
This is a straight forward sci-fi cross species romance. Skye is human and is on course to crash on a moon. Her father has just been killed in front of her and she has vital life saving information on her person, only she doesn’t think she’ll have a chance to save herself, let alone anyone else.
On the moon, she is about to crash into, is Hunter and his small group of friends, who make up the Shadow Wing, those fighting against the oppression of The Regime. Hiding from The Regime on a moon in the middle of nowhere sounds like a good idea until a shuttle crashes into it.
Hunter decides to rescue the lone occupant of the shattered shuttle, in order to find out how she found them and if anyone is following her. When he discovers a very battered human female, something awakens in him, a primal need to protect her.
From this introduction you can pretty much tell how it goes. The plot is very straight forward, there are no real surprises, however the author’s writing style is fluid and easy to read and the characterisation isn’t bad either.
This is a fun easy read, and as I got it for free, I’m certainly not complaining!
I’d probably give this 3.5⭐️ if I could.
This is a straight forward sci-fi cross species romance. Skye is human and is on course to crash on a moon. Her father has just been killed in front of her and she has vital life saving information on her person, only she doesn’t think she’ll have a chance to save herself, let alone anyone else.
On the moon, she is about to crash into, is Hunter and his small group of friends, who make up the Shadow Wing, those fighting against the oppression of The Regime. Hiding from The Regime on a moon in the middle of nowhere sounds like a good idea until a shuttle crashes into it.
Hunter decides to rescue the lone occupant of the shattered shuttle, in order to find out how she found them and if anyone is following her. When he discovers a very battered human female, something awakens in him, a primal need to protect her.
From this introduction you can pretty much tell how it goes. The plot is very straight forward, there are no real surprises, however the author’s writing style is fluid and easy to read and the characterisation isn’t bad either.
This is a fun easy read, and as I got it for free, I’m certainly not complaining!
June 20, 2018
Rating 2.5 stars. I felt it could have been much better. Not really much world or character building. Just enough to hold you for a moment. More about the science than action. I was disappointed about that fact. Was hoping for an adventure. I did not know how humans came to live on this planet and so dominated. Nothing was really explained. Bit by bit we learned a little about the Shadow Wing crew, but still too many holes. Because of this, I'm not moving forward with the series. I had more questions than answers. I will say I was interested enough in the characters to complete the story. Not much to Skye, but the situation she was forced into was believable. Hunter and the crew in the beginning, had me salivating. I just knew this was going to be a great adventure. Not really. No action. With Hunter being the most feared, why we never found out, you would have expected some type of action. Nope. The relationship between Skye and Hunter was not very believable. The story felt thrown together. The premise, interesting, the execution, lost. I will try other writings by this author. I did enjoy the read after I got over my disappointment.
September 6, 2018
Skye's father worked as a scientist for the "Regime". He was forced to make a biological weapon that would kill all of the humans in the Capital City. He designed an antidote to be used against the weapon. Her father gave her the formula hidden electronically in an earring right before they killed him. Skye then runs and crashes a stolen spaceship. She is saved by a group of Vithii(alien) and a cyborg that were hiding on the small planet.
Hunter is the leader of the rebel group that does anything and everything to go against the evil Premiere and his Regime soldiers. They all want revenge because of things done to themselves or their family by the Regime.
I truly enjoyed the book. There was plenty of action involved, some mystery, lots of technological equipment used as well as romance. I agree with some of the reviewers that there needed to be some more explanation into who the Vithii are and other world building attributes, but I still enjoyed the story none the less. This is a new author to me and I will definitely be reading more in this series!
Hunter is the leader of the rebel group that does anything and everything to go against the evil Premiere and his Regime soldiers. They all want revenge because of things done to themselves or their family by the Regime.
I truly enjoyed the book. There was plenty of action involved, some mystery, lots of technological equipment used as well as romance. I agree with some of the reviewers that there needed to be some more explanation into who the Vithii are and other world building attributes, but I still enjoyed the story none the less. This is a new author to me and I will definitely be reading more in this series!
November 7, 2018
Very Enjoyable Story,Well Worth Reading Over 18+READING
A young woman has been charged by her father to escape with the antidote to a virus to kill all the humans while her foster brother tried to lead them away with a fake antidote. She happened to be accidentally crash through a wormhole and landed right where she really needed to be . Skye didn't know it when she came to after they healed her from the crash. The Lithii leader of this group who are fighting the Regime is Hunter who is said to be a very bad guy but the Regime is the one claiming he is so dangerous that he should be killed. Skye comes to realize they mean to help her save all the humans she is so afraid that they would die because her father gave her the antidote and she had no idea what to do with it or who to take it to do she decides to trust Hunter and his group. As they risk everything to make and dispense the antidote they also find love.
A young woman has been charged by her father to escape with the antidote to a virus to kill all the humans while her foster brother tried to lead them away with a fake antidote. She happened to be accidentally crash through a wormhole and landed right where she really needed to be . Skye didn't know it when she came to after they healed her from the crash. The Lithii leader of this group who are fighting the Regime is Hunter who is said to be a very bad guy but the Regime is the one claiming he is so dangerous that he should be killed. Skye comes to realize they mean to help her save all the humans she is so afraid that they would die because her father gave her the antidote and she had no idea what to do with it or who to take it to do she decides to trust Hunter and his group. As they risk everything to make and dispense the antidote they also find love.
June 12, 2018
Good but could be better
Good story but there wasn’t enough world-building for me. I’m getting the feeling that there are other novels out there that contain the information I’m looking for, but how would I have known that? The title and description are misleading - it’s the first book, so it should contain more information re: setting. Plus it’s said it could be read as a stand-alone novel. It can, but there are too many questions unanswered for that to be an accurate and acceptable description. Additionally, character development seemed a bit superficial. I definitely would have loved to know more of the back story for the two main characters, though I can certainly understand why it seemed inopportune, given the nature of the plot. On the whole, this novel is ok but unsatisfying.
Good story but there wasn’t enough world-building for me. I’m getting the feeling that there are other novels out there that contain the information I’m looking for, but how would I have known that? The title and description are misleading - it’s the first book, so it should contain more information re: setting. Plus it’s said it could be read as a stand-alone novel. It can, but there are too many questions unanswered for that to be an accurate and acceptable description. Additionally, character development seemed a bit superficial. I definitely would have loved to know more of the back story for the two main characters, though I can certainly understand why it seemed inopportune, given the nature of the plot. On the whole, this novel is ok but unsatisfying.
November 20, 2019
Doomed World and Sex
Okay, so I did enjoy the story, yes there was sex and what seemed like a good amount...but it didn't ruin the storyline. I loved the aspect that Hunter was a leader, but he wasn't a leader that was capable of doing everything. The different dimensions of characters really helps the flow of the book, you have jokesters, super serious, scientists, and being growing into themselves. When it comes to Skye I'm glad the author wrote her as a woman who felt her hurt and pain, and used it as ammunition, as well as letting those emotions out. I understood the bickering between some of the characters, which happens in every day life when someone new is introduced to the group. Overall, a good read.
Okay, so I did enjoy the story, yes there was sex and what seemed like a good amount...but it didn't ruin the storyline. I loved the aspect that Hunter was a leader, but he wasn't a leader that was capable of doing everything. The different dimensions of characters really helps the flow of the book, you have jokesters, super serious, scientists, and being growing into themselves. When it comes to Skye I'm glad the author wrote her as a woman who felt her hurt and pain, and used it as ammunition, as well as letting those emotions out. I understood the bickering between some of the characters, which happens in every day life when someone new is introduced to the group. Overall, a good read.
September 30, 2018
This is the first book in the Love and War Series. I really love R.A. Steffan's writing, she never disappoints. This is a great Sci-Fi Romance, entertaining, with great and complex world and wonderful characters. I love Skye and Hunter's story and I loved to follow them in their journey. I can't wait for the next book in the Series. The narration was really well done and easy to listen, as always with Gwendolyn Druyor. She does a great job with all the characters and accents. I enjoyed my listening. I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
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