One people, divided by treachery and greed. A fiery Warlord, as ruthless as he is honorable. An ethereal Princess, as beautiful as she is loyal to her people. Though as different as fire and ice, they are drawn together by an intensely intimate connection
This pair of unlikely lovers wields the power to mend the rift between their worlds, but an unknown entity wants her dead. Can he keep her safe while uncovering the insidious murderous threat? Or will it wrench them apart and bring their people to the brink of war, yet again.
USA Today and #1 International Bestselling Author, Maddie is a lifelong reader who became a romance junkie as a teen with her first romance novel, The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. From then on, she was hooked and gobbled up everything she could get her hands on, whether contemporary, historical, paranormal, or sci-fi.
With over seventy published works, a quarter of a million books sold, and fifty million pages read, Maddie writes fast-paced, steamy fiction in multiple genres from contemporary to Sci-fi to historical western romance. Pour yourself a glass of wine, curl up in your favorite chair, and escape for a few hours in the rich worlds she creates. It will be time well spent.
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I really enjoyed Claimed by the Warlord finding it a nice change of pace from the darker reads Ive experienced a lot of lately. It's predominantly a sci-fi heart and though sometimes a tad cheesy in nature I had a grin from ear to ear throughout. It has a real feel-good vibe to the whole book and reminds me slightly of the sci-fi romances stories I used to devour by the bucketload back in my far distant youth. This tale centres on Aurelia and Darios: a couple from previously warring factions with opposing abilities: literally. Darios is Fire and Aurelia Ice both able are to command there particular element and when Darios rescues Aurelia from slavers and claims her for his own spark between these two do fly. I adored that Darios himself was so dominant and such an alpha male with his gruff protective nature and disciplinary spankings: he was such a caveman at times towards Aurelia but they just complimented each other so much. Aurelia could be a bit annoying and act like a spoilt child at times but I still found myself rooting for her she really was the perfect foil for her gruff man. This was an easy read that I raced through and I have no issues whatsoever recommending it was a great read. Just want to add that cover on this one is absolutely stunning and really did catch my eye. I voluntary reviewed an Arc of Claimed By The Warlord. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Introduction This was a random pick if I am being honest. I was putting together a recommendation post featuring Barbarians, and somehow this one popped on my Kindle App, and I immediately grabbed it up! I just had to pick this one because I was so in the mood for some good angst and a alpha hero because I can never resist a sexy warlord. Well this book was everything that I could have hoped for and more. In fact, if you loved Johanna Lindsey's sci fi series, then you need to try this one out because it was so amazing. I just couldn't get enough of the romance, the sci fi adventure feel or the enemies to lovers (but not really an enemies to lovers if that even makes sense).
The Main Protagonists The Hero: Warlord Darios -Alpha Male -Royal -Warrior -Fire Psychic Abilities -Spanks his woman
The Heroine: Princess Aurelia -Royalty -Ice Psychic Abilities -Sassy -Independent
Summary Princess Aurelia ends up being kidnapped by slavers and when she gets rescued by Warlord Darios, who also is from the same planet her people have gone to war with, she doesn't know what to expect from him. They are enemies after all, but Darios is a leader and is tired of war and the cost of it to his people. He is determined to keep the peace accord between their people. But there is a bond between Darios and Aurelia and when they join forces, they also go on the hunt to search for the betrayer that put Aurelia in danger in the first place and not everything is as it seems...
My Outlook I absolutely adored this one here, and it just had such a fun relation to the sci fi series by Johanna Lindsey. So, if you loved those books, then you definitely must read this one here. It just had such a strong fantastical, but science fiction adventure feels to it. Now they are both humanoid, so I wouldn't consider this an alien romance, but more of a sci fi faring adventure. It does have a bit of a fated mates/marriage of convenience feeling to it. The chemistry is on point between these two. They are also both royals of sorts, so I really enjoyed how well they just click together as they understand those "leadership" roles and respect it.
Now one aspect to the story that some people may struggle with is the "spanking" element. This will NOT be for everyone haha however, I adored it. It just worked so well because its a cultural aspect to their people so I wasn't like anti the hero because of it. But the heroine is a bit of a brat at times and really acts out in some ridiculous ways where she damages the hero's home so I mean yeah I wasn't mad about it, she needed to learn about accountability and throughout the story we do see her start to really reflect on her actions and not be so impulsive. I really enjoyed the growth between the romance and just the way that even though on the surface its a enemies to lovers, but it ends up being more they become allies to friends to lovers. The hero is so protective and he looks at the situation on a deeper level than the heroine and really enjoyed his perspective.
The plot of the story was really well done, and had some solid layers to it that kept up on the surprises here and there. I really was engaged mostly from beginning to end. It had a certain flair for drama but somehow the author just made it work for me. I definitely can't wait to explore more sci fi romance from this author and wouldn't mind seeing books connected to this one.
Overall View I was deeply enthralled by this installment, it had such a balance of fun and sexy with the right touch of suspense to keep the reader intrigue and off balance. If you are a fan of sci fi romance, sexy barbarian warlords and sassy heroines, this needs to be on your shelf!
A sweet and light sci-fi romance. The author has undertaken some good worldbuilding and this book is well paced.
The book is focused on Princess Aurelia and Warlord Darios, a couple from previously warring factions, factions who now have a delicate/tenuous peace accord. The two also have opposing abilities -Darios is able to control the element Fire and Aurelia is able to control/use the element Ice. When Darios rescues Aurelia from slavers and claims her for his own, sparks between the two fly. As they try to understand how Aurelia was able to be captured a web of deception and betrayal is revealed.
I was slightly uncomfortable with the usage of spanking as a form of 'domestic discipline' in this, for me it just didn't work in this book, I felt the book could have done without it.
Overall, I liked this read, it was good and I'm looking forward to a second book, perhaps about Princess Aurelia's brother (who is to be the future King) or a book framed around one of the Voltarre warriors.
I would have given this book 5 stars, but I really couldn't stand the misogynistic and abusive behavior. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
It really pisses me off when authors try to pass off abuse as love. I think the author tried to incorporate spanking and anal play as part of the romance, but did it in a completely wrong way. If two people enjoy that in their relationship, then okay, but don't incorporate it because "the husband has the right to abuse his wife if he thinks it necessary". Forced spankings (with and without objects) and forced sodomy is an appalling excuse for romance or love. I've got no problems with an author including "non-vanilla" sex in a romance, but don't turn it into something completely unhealthy.
“Claimed by the Warlord” is a sizzling Sci-fi fantasy tale employing both creative as well as imaginative world-building, interwoven with the ancient Greek classical “elements” concept introduced by Empedocles (earth, water, air and fire). Within the Euphyrion star system, a thousand years in the past, a prince (also a twin) fled the ice planet Aeldorian. The Aeldorian prince and his followers found refuge on Voltarre, the fire planet. The Voltarrians evolved separately from those remaining on Aeldorian, developing the power to manipulate fire and ascertain truth through touch. In contrast, Aeldorians manipulate water in the form of ice and snow as well as displaying the preternatural ability to psychically feel the emotions of others via direct contact. Feeling other’s emotions through physical contact is overwhelming for the Aeldorians, quite painful and driven procreation into the realm of science rather than the natural act. The main characters, although of the same ancestry, are opposite in nature and both planets have engaged in hostilities against each other throughout their lengthy history.
Professionally written, extremely fast paced and tremendously engaging the story begins with the princess Aurelia in a life-threatening situation, prompting rescue by Lord Darios. Brimming with action, adventure, suspense, erotic heat and romance the story is difficult, if not impossible to put down. Mystery surrounds the heroine’s abduction and threatens the tentative peace between planets. Darios and Aurelia’s characters are skillfully portrayed along with a noteworthy collection of secondary characters in integral supporting roles. Lord Darios is the archetypal hero with a commanding presence who displays bravery, strength, dominance, intelligence and a romantic side. Princess Aurelia is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, capable woman who does not deny her sexuality or her compelling attraction to Darios.
It is my hope that “Claimed by the Warlord” is simply the initial installment in a series, exploring additional characters and other worlds within the Euphyrion star system.
Beam me up Scotty… I’m ready to explore new and exciting worlds!
Disclaimer: Children 18+ due to explicit sexual content within an unequal power exchange dynamic. No Kindles were seriously harmed while reading this novel. Disclaimer for the Disclaimer… The term “seriously harmed” is not intended to include: overheating, scorch marks, minor melting or inconsequential fire that can be put out with an extinguisher. Fire retardant gloves highly recommended while reading. Reviewer is not responsible for run-on sentences, appalling grammar, questionable punctuation, to many of these thingy’s (…) and illegal use of overly descriptive language.
SUPER SEXY SCI-FI ROMANCE!!! Title: Claimed by the Warlord Author: Maddie Taylor Designation: Full-Length(Approx 280 pages), Standalone, NO Cliffhanger #sciencefictionromance #enemiestolovers #alphaalienwarlord #beautifulalieniceprincess My Rating: Five Super Sexy Stars****
I adore science fiction, love sexy aliens, completely addicted to action, adventure, suspense, and intrigue, and simply can't live without a daily infusion of romance, so when I can find it all in one great read, I'm in heaven! And that's exactly what Maddie Taylor delivered in Claimed by the Warlord. There was so much I truly enjoyed about this book. The cover was gorgeous, the concept creative, the storyline, plot, and conflict were extremely engaging, the world building was exceptional. Overall, I thought the book was well-crafted with a few minor mistakes and typos missed in the final edit/proofread, but nothing that interrupted the flow or distracted me from the story. But as much as I enjoyed all the technical components of this story, the shining star in this sexy galactic romp, and my favorite element by far, was the cast of captivating characters. I was immediately smitten with the two protagonists, handsome Warlord Fire Warrior Darios, ruler of the fire planet Voltarre and beautiful High Princess Aurelia, daughter of King Aziros of the ice planet Aeldor. Oh my! This couple was smokin' hot! Their scenes together were always passion-fueled and oh so steamy - and I do mean quite literally! This heated love story between longstanding enemies was liberally sprinkled with elements of BDSM, and in this instance, fire and ice definitely made steam! Oo-la-la! Nothing makes for hotter reading than a well-executed enemies-to-lovers trope, and Taylor blasted out of the starting gate in the first chapter with guns blazing. The Voltarreans and the Aeldorians had been mortal enemies for millennia, yet after finding the princess of Aeldor chained and caged in the bowels of a slaver ship during a mission to rescue his brother's pregnant mate, Darios tried to do the honorable thing and return Aurelia to her planet. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and Darios wanted the ethereally lovely ice princess and was determined to have her, even if it meant ending their recent truce. But someone wanted Aurelia dead and all clues pointed to her brother, Prince Axton, the next king of Aeldor. Regardless of the mounting evidence, Aurelia knew her brother wasn't behind the plot to kill her and, despite her growing love for Darios, was resolved to return home and prove her brother's innocence by finding the guilty culprit responsible for her abduction. Poor Darios would do anything to protect and claim the feisty, stubborn Aurelia, no matter the cost, even if it meant following her to planet Aeldor and inciting another war. But would he be in time to save her from a mysterious enemy hell-bent on Aurelia's death? We'll see!
So, did I like this book? Yes, I loved it! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Would I recommend this book? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain the alien version of profanity, violence, explicit sex with elements of BDSM. I became completely immersed in the first few pages and felt compelled to turn each page until I reached the end. Yeah, it was a long night without sleep. lol... There were some dark elements included in the story but, in my humble opinion, they were well balanced with a generous measure of humor. I giggled, snickered, snorted, sniffled, sobbed, fumed, and shook my fists in anger throughout the entire book. This is a full-length science fiction romance, coming in at approximately 280 pages, can be read as a standalone, and does NOT end with a cliffhanger. I so hope this is a new series! I would love to read more about the other characters, especially Darios' guard Iyo. He definitely needs a mate from Aeldor. Possibly a sweet scientist??? And maybe even Aurelia's twin brother Axton. He really deserves another mate! And wouldn't it be fun if he was attracted to a female fire warrior! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! If you enjoy high-octane science fiction filled to the brim with action, adventure, danger, drama, intrigue, suspense, angst, passion, and steamy romance, then this book is screaming your name. Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
*I read romance books for the heat, so as long as it's not disappointing, they normally get rated four stars. They're enjoyable, but don't take too much brain power, and only the ones that are phenomenal and memorable get five stars.*
The above is just general FYI about how I rate romance books. With this one, I liked the characterization of both Darios and Aurelia, and their powers were interesting, although I wish they had been fleshed out more. There was heat between the characters, danger, betrayal, and the threat of war to navigate. You could tell who the "bad guy" was the minute the character was introduced, so no surprises there except the why.
There was a lot of description of Darios (on Aurelia's part) of how he looked wearing various clothing, which after a while became tedious because there was nothing new being said. All in all though, this is an easy read except for the beginning when there are scenes of kidnapping and physical abuse and the degrading of women (i.e. there is a species in the planetary system known for kidnapping and selling women).
It all works out in the end though, and there's a happily ever after.
The Cover is Perfect for this Alpha Male Adult Sci-fi Romantic💞 Adventure!
What a wonderful adventure with war, deceit, and betrayal on two alien planets. The inhabitants were one people , but diverged eons ago to become enemies and two very different races. One race lives on a cold planet and can kenetically manipulate snow and ice and the other, a race of huge warriors, live on a hot planet and can manipulate fire and heat! A truce is finally in place after eons of war.
When the ice princess, Aurelia💃💋, is rescued from slavers by the hard, hot Warlord, Darios👹🍆🌋🔪🔫, a plot is discovered to kill Aurelia💃💋 and start the war between the two planets again.
Great book! I am keeping this one in my personal library to read again! Highly recommend to all fans of Adult Sci-fi Romance.
I think 3 stars is being generous with this one. What I did like about it was the plot itself was decent and it was fast paced. I never felt bored reading this at any point. However, I couldn’t stand the misogynistic views throughout the entire book. I’m all for men taking the lead and being protective, whatever, but this was ridiculous. Constantly talking about disciplining the wives for misbehaving sounds more abusive than endearing. I’ve read other books that eluded to something similar but handled significantly better and with more tact. Unfortunately, I do not recommend reading Claimed by the Warlord.
Claimed by the Warlord moves Maddie Taylor back into fantasy romance, sharing with us a group of worlds connected by gifts and powers. In this particular case, the two worlds are opposites that share a common ancestor. The descendants of one live on the planet Voltarre and have the ability to manipulate fire and heat. The descendants of another live on a snow planet called Aeldor and have the power to manipulate ice and freeze the air. And the citizens of these two planets have been fighting one another, almost nonstop, for hundreds of years.
So when the Warlord of Voltarre, Darios, goes on a rescue mission to save kidnapped Voltarrean women, he’s amazed to find an Aeldorian princess among the fellow prisoners. Aurelia, the privileged High Princess of Aeldor, has been kidnapped by someone who clearly wants her out of the way on her home world. As Darios comes to know her, he realizes that she’s at the center of a plot that endangers not only her world and its rulers, but Voltarre as well.
I loved Darios and Aurelia. He’s strong but really listens to Aurelia and her concerns. And Aurelia rans a gamut of emotions as she deals with the truly unnerving circumstances she encounters. Many times in books that include domestic discipline in some way, the reasons for disciplinary moments make the heroines look ridiculous or make the heroes overly assumptive. That isn’t the case with Claimed by the Warlord. Taylor shows you why Aurelia would react in extreme ways to repeated devastating events and revelations, and also why Darios uses discipline to center and help Aurelia overcome what she has to address.
There is an intriguing mystery as to why Aurelia was abducted in the first place, and the additional layers of past history and resentment among the Aurelians and the Voltarreans only adds to this story. There are a host of fantastic secondary characters introduced in Claimed by the Warlord, and what happens to them made me long for more stories, soon, in this world.
Taylor excels in building worlds, and her characters’ relationships are centered in care and logic. Claimed by the Warlord is a great example of this.
I made it to chapter nine before I gave up, so please bear in mind that this review is based only on events up to that point. So many spoilers up to then, though...
I love science fiction but have been reading romance lately, so this seemed a natural intersection of my tastes. I quickly realized, however, that while the theory might be, the execution was not.
The plot was poorly-paced, jumping ahead, then lagging. The characters were painted with a very broad brush, up to and including the various planets’ races/species, and I got no sense of chemistry between the two leads. The foreshadowing was heavy-handed (if Aurelia’s twin doesn’t turn out to be who’s behind her assassination-turned-kidnapping, I’ll be shocked, given all the talk about how twins historically turned the throne into a bloodbath and Aurelia’s fluttering assertions about how great their relationship is) and the prose was the purplest I’ve read in a while. Ludicrous little details didn’t help. (Aurelia and Darios are each descended from one of two twins, yet twins pop up ALL THE TIME in Aurelia’s line and NEVER in Darios’s? I’m pretty sure genetics don’t work like that.)
What finally made me wave the white flag, though, was the first sex scene. Not only was the lead-in distasteful (Aurelia dreams of being raped by the man who bought her at auction and is woken and subsequently comforted by Darios, who gets terribly turned on by her vulnerable form wrapped around him like a spider monkey, even before Aurelia begs him to take her virginity) but the sex was tepid. There was just too much conversation, and the Healing Cock trope is absolutely not one of my favorites anyway. The scene felt abrupt and forced, especially given the aforementioned lack of chemistry.
I freely admit that I’m a very picky reader who can’t put away the mental red pen, so what doesn’t work for me quite possibly (and apparently, judging from other reviews) works perfectly fine for others. Your mileage may vary so it’s worth at least a shot, but it’s not something i’ll be coming back for more of.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Aurelia didn’t see an issue with travelling to see her aunt. She had done it many times before. But this time she is kidnapped and auctioned off. Thank goodness for the Warlord that disabled the ship and saved all the women on board but would he let her go. Darios wanted to rescue the women taken from Voltarre that were taken. His sister in-law was one of them. They found the ship and got her and the others to safety. He did not expect to find Aurelia, Daughter of Aziros of Aeldor.
These two as opposite as fire and ice, literally. She was sold to a red devil and you know that alien is going to be coming for her. Then you also have her father and brother. They too will be looking for her. And who planned her kidnapping. It isn’t like the Ophig’s knew her plans. Someone had to have to them. So we have a lot of things to ponder. Then we have Darios, Warlord/Overlord, who his people look to. He is smooth as silk and the way he dresses, well all of Voltarre dress like that. It is no wonder that Aure falls for him and he her. These two are a match but as I said there are a lot of things going on as well. I loved it all. I hope we get to read about them and more.
***Read for the Coffee Shop prompt of Romanceopoly(read a recommended book).
So, this was an interesting story full of twists, suspenseful scenes, and romance. I thought Darios was an interesting hero, with a pretty dominant edge. He was really sweet when it came to Aurelia, the heroine, though. Aurelia was loyal and protective, though she did have some childish moments. Still, I felt awful for her for being abducted and caged. Darios rescued her in the nick of time, and he soon realized that the two were meant for one another. I'm not really one for the whole domestic discipline thing, but it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the read. The writing could have used some polishing, with some sentences being repeated, some overly long and confusing sentences, and a few oddly placed commas. Still, this was an interesting world with a couple I wanted to see happy.
Who knew ice and fire would be such a combustible combination? Princess Aurelia and Overlord Darius meet in a very unlikely and unusual way. They are from different worlds. Completely opposite worlds-Fire and Ice. Worlds that are longtime enemies and have an uneasy truce. Their connection is undeniable, but is it smart to pursue a relationship given where they are from? Ms. Taylor always writes sexy stories that also have actual plots. You definitely have to follow along in this one, especially at the beginning as there are a lot of players and back stories. But there is plenty of sizzle too!! This is a complete story, but there definitely is a set up for a series... (hint...hint). FIVE ICY HOT STARS!!
This is the first book I've read by this author and it was only so so. I liked Darios but didn't really like Aurelia. She seemed brash and thoughtless. But what I found especially annoying about this book was that objects seemed to appear out of nowhere and things didn't make logical sense. Like the author needed the heroine to go outside alone without telling anyone (because she borders on too-stupid-to-live), so suddenly she saw some random object in a garden that she couldn't live without. Or a group of vehicles suddenly being roasted in flames where they'd never been mentioned before. Add in bad editing and I won't be reading another. Which is a shame, because this story had potential.
Not a bad read, but it doesn't leave me...ahem....burning for more. Pun intended. At least it was logical, which can be hard to come by with free books these days. The storyline was typical as were the sex scenes. Easy to figure out who was the villian. A LOT of dialogue...even during sex...like a LOT. I few lines here and there, but full conversations...not so much. But other than that and the awkwardly placed attempts at humor, it was an okay read.
Maddie Taylor has produced another great read with this one. When an Ice Maiden and a Firey Warlord come together sparks will fly in this sweet enemy to lovers sci fi story. Aurelia is having a bad day, she is kidnapped, beaten, sold into slavery, nearly killed, then saved by Darius who is there trying to save women from his own planet that have also been kidnapped. When they discover who they are to each other sparks will fly and sizzle. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and hope there will be more as Axton needs his own HEA....
I really did not expect to love or finish this book,thought it was going to be some arrogant princess story , but I was quite shock , not only was this book hold you in suspense but I couldn't seems to put it down, I was holding my breath as to who will want the princess dead and willing it not to be her brother. Very glad I did not pass up on reading this book will definitely recommend it to my fellow readers.
I was given the audio book by the author but found the narrator so distracting that I downloaded the book (through KU) to complete the story. I am very particular about narration, so the narration may not disturb you as it did me. Overall, I enjoyed the book although I found the heroine somewhat annoying at times and I did like the male lead more. Not a bad book and I would probably try the author again. It is a complete story with a HEA and no cliff hanger.
Good story. I gave it 4 stars as I have a difficult time understanding "domestic discipline" Ms. Taylor should focus/detail on the intimate/sexy scenarios so the reader does not misunderstand what is going on. Other than that good plot, awesome world building and likeable characters. I liked that loved each other and it was obvious in Ms. Taylor's writing.
This is a new author for me and one I intend to read more books by. This is really a well developed story. It’s characters are well developed and I didn’t want to leave them when the story ended. There are several erotically sensual scenes but the story will win your attention.
At first I felt like I needed more descriptions of the beautiful worlds these characters inhabit. Just a little patience on my part and I learned thru the characters all about the customs of their worlds. The story was sweet and had many twists and turns that were very entertaining.
Okay, the narrator is a bit boring and the story dragged so for both combinations to me wasn’t as pleasing. I truly tried to listen. I had stopped and came back to retry again and I just can’t get into it. Maybe reading this on my own will do. Sorry, I hate giving bad reviews and a three is the best i I can give this.
I really enjoyed this book. The intense connection, the interesting world. The character and world building. I really hope there will be more of this series. Ioyo and others need stories
She is kidnapped, beaten ,sold and left to die. He will not allow that to happen. Opposites attract. They want each other. Can their world's get along or will war ensue?? Couldn't put it down. A lot of romance, action and a little dicipline.
I really hope this is a beginning of a series. This book was great. I would really like to see more. I would also love to revisit these two because I wasn’t done with them.
Absolutely loved this book! Has everything you want in it, alpha male, action, who done it?, and add in some yummy parts with a little spanking and BAM! Your up all night reading! Lol. Highly recommend (kept me up til 3 AM so start it early).
One of the most awesome Sy-Fy books I’ve ever read with drama,adventure,humor,incredible characters,and unbelievable romance! Definitely recommend for a unforgettable read! Thanks will definitely be reading more from this author ❤️❤️