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Iriduan Test Subjects #1
The Scorpion's Mate
Claire
I learned the hard way not to go UFO-hunting without expecting to be abducted.
After a camping trip looking for little green men turned into a real alien abduction, I found myself trapped in an alien research facility. What’s worse is that the eerily beautiful aliens running the place intend to use me as a lure—and potentially much more—for their actual test subject.
They’ve turned a monstrous alien scorpion into a humanoid super-soldier using their advanced genetic engineering. Unfortunately for them, their new monster wasn’t cooperating with their plans.
At least, he wasn’t until he caught one whiff of my pheromones and imprinted on me.
Now, Thrax is determined to keep me, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect me, even if it means tearing the research facility apart to escape.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve finally found a place where I fit in perfectly—right in the clutches of his four arms, two of which boast massive insectoid pincers that could snap my head off my shoulders.
I trust Thrax not to hurt me though. I just wish I could trust any of the other aliens that surround us.
***
This book is the first in the Iriduan Test Subjects series. Don’t miss the other monsters and aliens in the following
The Kraken’s Mate
The Serpent’s Mate
The Warrior’s Mate
The Hunter’s Mate
The Fractured Mate
The Iriduan’s Mate
The Clone’s Mate
Content warning for all the books in the series can be found on the author’s website.
I learned the hard way not to go UFO-hunting without expecting to be abducted.
After a camping trip looking for little green men turned into a real alien abduction, I found myself trapped in an alien research facility. What’s worse is that the eerily beautiful aliens running the place intend to use me as a lure—and potentially much more—for their actual test subject.
They’ve turned a monstrous alien scorpion into a humanoid super-soldier using their advanced genetic engineering. Unfortunately for them, their new monster wasn’t cooperating with their plans.
At least, he wasn’t until he caught one whiff of my pheromones and imprinted on me.
Now, Thrax is determined to keep me, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect me, even if it means tearing the research facility apart to escape.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve finally found a place where I fit in perfectly—right in the clutches of his four arms, two of which boast massive insectoid pincers that could snap my head off my shoulders.
I trust Thrax not to hurt me though. I just wish I could trust any of the other aliens that surround us.
***
This book is the first in the Iriduan Test Subjects series. Don’t miss the other monsters and aliens in the following
The Kraken’s Mate
The Serpent’s Mate
The Warrior’s Mate
The Hunter’s Mate
The Fractured Mate
The Iriduan’s Mate
The Clone’s Mate
Content warning for all the books in the series can be found on the author’s website.
288 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2018
1360 people are currently reading
3276 people want to read
About the author
Susan Trombley
32 books842 followersBorn a dragon, but forced to take human form to fit into those little baby carriers, Susan accepted that she'd have to live a mortal life. She just wasn't going to go around being all boring about it. As soon as she was old enough, she immediately applied for an alien abduction, but got wait-listed, so she made her lair in the desert to wait out the coming zombie apocalypse with a pair of magical cats (they can appear underfoot in an instant, usually at the steps) and the dog from Hades that has three heads (and now has three bodies to go with them).
When the white knight came to fight the dragon, Susan liked him so much she decided to marry him and they now have a beautiful little dragonlet. (Who looks just like a little girl unless you use a magic mirror)
Fortunately, despite being trapped in this dimension, Susan uses her dragon's vision to see all the most interesting goings-on in the multiverse. Figuring they made great stories, she decided to share them with the rest of the mortal world, by writing fantasy, science fiction and romance.
When the white knight came to fight the dragon, Susan liked him so much she decided to marry him and they now have a beautiful little dragonlet. (Who looks just like a little girl unless you use a magic mirror)
Fortunately, despite being trapped in this dimension, Susan uses her dragon's vision to see all the most interesting goings-on in the multiverse. Figuring they made great stories, she decided to share them with the rest of the mortal world, by writing fantasy, science fiction and romance.
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March 15, 2022
EDIT-This has since been split apart into separate books The scorpion's Mate has been polished up while the second story "Into The Dead Fall" has been substantially improved on and lengthened.
My review is of the original two in one version of this and my re-read here was of the new edition of just The Scorpion's Mate.
FREE IN KU
So there are two stories in this omnibus and in my opinion both were good enough and long enough to be in a stand-alone edition.
Each was very different and if I had to pick a favourite out of the two book one "The Scorpion's Mate" won it hands down for me.
That's not to say the second book in this omnibus "Into The Dead Fall" is any slouch either I enjoyed that one also.
Now I'm a strange one, and this sort of story, aliens that look and act like real aliens is a real guilty pleasure of mine, And as I like my stories well developed with a proper connection between the principal characters, the pickings for this type of fiction and that is also well written, is so very slim indeed.
I'm a huge fan of R. Lee Smith who is another fantastic author of these types of books and had yet to find anyone to live up to her alien stories.
I am happy to say, Susan Trombley has and I am keeping my fingers crossed that she has more of this to come.
So the first story"The Scorpions Mate" tells the story of Claire who is kidnapped by aliens and locked up in a research facility.
Claire is a quirky sort who has never quite fit in on earth, in the research facility she is mated to Thrax a genetically engineered Soldier who was a sort of deadly giant scorpion before they spliced his DNA for experimentation.
Thrax imprints on Claire and as she falls for an unlikely hero Claire realises to stay with Thrax is to renounce returning to earth as he could never fit in there looking the way he does.
I loved this story like so much, it's hard to explain you've just got to be there to get it.
I loved how wild and protective Thrax was towards Claire while still being completely deadly to all else.
The second story "Into The Dead Fall" is completely different and actually involves two aliens and no it's not a menage it's more of a two husbands kind of story.
I wasn't a fan of this and would have prefered to have kept to the one alien
In this one, Alice is sucked through a nexus into a post-apocalyptic landscape
and is initially injured luckily for her Iyaren is there to rescue her and nurse her wounds but with a language barrier between them, it's a hard slog.
Iyaren is a kind of lion-like alien and lonely is happy for the company.
Now I would have been happy to rest with the sexy lion but here we have another alien also attracted to Alice Tak a sort of Lizard-like creature sees and bonds with her
when the two realise Alice cant choose they suggest both taking care of her.
Tak and Iyaren are from the same planet and can communicate Tak can also understand Alice as he had a procedure done to allow this,
there is a lot more to these two imaginative tales but I've given you the bare bones above to give you a rough idea.
Please don't be put off by the very real aliens contained within these pages, give this a try, what have you got to lose, you might actually surprise yourself and really enjoy the tales told here.
So anyway these are well written, emotive and engaging and from what I can see there is plenty of opportunity in both landscapes for future story growth.
The author has set this up very nicely.
I really can't recommend each of these stories enough and I enjoyed every word.
This omnibus is currently free in KU.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
June 16, 2018
4 Very Different Stars
I read some pretty out there books, but this one takes the cake. If you are into sci-fi alien romances this one is a good try. It’s different from the blue or purple aliens that mostly look human. In this one, the guy has four arms and pinchers and plates that cover his whole body. It was just different and I wasn’t really opposed to it, it kind of got me out of the typical rut.
There are some aspects of the book I liked and there are some I didn’t.
I did like that I was warned that the book would contain two books. I haven’t read the second book yet and I’m not sure if I will, but I will start it. So The Scorpion’s mate ends at the 50% mark, but it’s a typical full-length novel.
I liked the unique storyline, but I’m not sure I can’t handle the author’s writing style. She writes very descriptive and at times I felt myself skimming. Just too much description on what’s going on and what people are thinking. I like dialogue and action based books. I enjoyed the interactions between Claire and Thrax the most.
Clarie and Thrax are kidnapped and are part of a science experiment, well Thrax is and in order to get Thrax to comply they use Clarie because he has imprinted on her. Cute storyline right?
I liked that Thrax was complicated. I liked how it was hard for him to empathized and I liked that they modified his body so he’s not the typical alien. I liked how Claire sort of struggled with her feelings for Thrax, but in the end, he was basically the only person she had.
I did struggle with the world building, there’s a lot of it. A lot of aliens, a lot of politics and species talk. I kind of wished it was a simple world and I could have understood that part easier. I had no idea which alien was friend or foe and the names the author gave them was kind of confusing.
There’s another alien that is discovered and I’m curious about his story. I will move on to him. If the writing style is the same, with all the wordy words and confusing world building, I’m not sure if I will continue to read this author, but for now, I’m interested enough in the fact the plot and storylines are so different from the typical alien romances my interest is peaked.
I read some pretty out there books, but this one takes the cake. If you are into sci-fi alien romances this one is a good try. It’s different from the blue or purple aliens that mostly look human. In this one, the guy has four arms and pinchers and plates that cover his whole body. It was just different and I wasn’t really opposed to it, it kind of got me out of the typical rut.
There are some aspects of the book I liked and there are some I didn’t.
I did like that I was warned that the book would contain two books. I haven’t read the second book yet and I’m not sure if I will, but I will start it. So The Scorpion’s mate ends at the 50% mark, but it’s a typical full-length novel.
I liked the unique storyline, but I’m not sure I can’t handle the author’s writing style. She writes very descriptive and at times I felt myself skimming. Just too much description on what’s going on and what people are thinking. I like dialogue and action based books. I enjoyed the interactions between Claire and Thrax the most.
Clarie and Thrax are kidnapped and are part of a science experiment, well Thrax is and in order to get Thrax to comply they use Clarie because he has imprinted on her. Cute storyline right?
I liked that Thrax was complicated. I liked how it was hard for him to empathized and I liked that they modified his body so he’s not the typical alien. I liked how Claire sort of struggled with her feelings for Thrax, but in the end, he was basically the only person she had.
I did struggle with the world building, there’s a lot of it. A lot of aliens, a lot of politics and species talk. I kind of wished it was a simple world and I could have understood that part easier. I had no idea which alien was friend or foe and the names the author gave them was kind of confusing.
There’s another alien that is discovered and I’m curious about his story. I will move on to him. If the writing style is the same, with all the wordy words and confusing world building, I’m not sure if I will continue to read this author, but for now, I’m interested enough in the fact the plot and storylines are so different from the typical alien romances my interest is peaked.
February 26, 2018
The Scorpion's Mate was suggested in a facebook group and was quickly backed up by several people.
The main character is a brat from page 1. Between being an industrial dancer with 100k subscribers (riiiiiight) and how her mom tries to dress her in J Crew but she prefers corsets because she's a fashion designer but doesn't neeeed to work because of her youtube money... I just can't even make it through the first chapter. I can't.
I'm sorry, but unless you're Techno Viking, I have no interest in time travel to the year 2000.
The main character is a brat from page 1. Between being an industrial dancer with 100k subscribers (riiiiiight) and how her mom tries to dress her in J Crew but she prefers corsets because she's a fashion designer but doesn't neeeed to work because of her youtube money... I just can't even make it through the first chapter. I can't.
I'm sorry, but unless you're Techno Viking, I have no interest in time travel to the year 2000.
December 21, 2020
Overall: 2 stars. An alien romance dotted with meta references and plagued by an immature heroine.
I’m just going to be efficient here and use a good ole list system.
Cons:
1. The book is way too meta for my tastes. The heroine makes a lot of jokes and references to romance novels, and that kind of humor always annoys me
2. I’m usually not one to complain about a heroine, but oof, she was hard to like because she seemed so immature. You can write interesting, complicate unlikable heroines, but Claire was none of that. She just came off to me as juvenile in her dialogue and thoughts (I think the first-person POV here didn’t help that case) with a lot of defiance for defiance’s sake, whining, and generalized “moody teenager” behavior. Claire is also a bit “Not Like the Other Girls,” as she constantly reminds the reader that she’s special because she goes to raves, is fat, and makes her own corsets. These are not character traits.
3. Despite being a relatively short novel, this book dragged on with long sections of Claire either complaining or lusting after the hero, “hunky” alien Thrax, and Thrax narrating his constant need to either mate or kill something. It got pretty repetitive, pretty quickly.
I’m just going to be efficient here and use a good ole list system.
Cons:
1. The book is way too meta for my tastes. The heroine makes a lot of jokes and references to romance novels, and that kind of humor always annoys me
2. I’m usually not one to complain about a heroine, but oof, she was hard to like because she seemed so immature. You can write interesting, complicate unlikable heroines, but Claire was none of that. She just came off to me as juvenile in her dialogue and thoughts (I think the first-person POV here didn’t help that case) with a lot of defiance for defiance’s sake, whining, and generalized “moody teenager” behavior. Claire is also a bit “Not Like the Other Girls,” as she constantly reminds the reader that she’s special because she goes to raves, is fat, and makes her own corsets. These are not character traits.
3. Despite being a relatively short novel, this book dragged on with long sections of Claire either complaining or lusting after the hero, “hunky” alien Thrax, and Thrax narrating his constant need to either mate or kill something. It got pretty repetitive, pretty quickly.
April 29, 2021
3.5 rounded up for unique storytelling.
Susan Trombley wrote an excellent story here! Amazing world building, great set up of MC characters, and side characters. I really enjoyed how this alien story was actually an ALIEN story! I mean, Thrax is basically a huge scorpion.
Susan Trombley wrote an excellent story here! Amazing world building, great set up of MC characters, and side characters. I really enjoyed how this alien story was actually an ALIEN story! I mean, Thrax is basically a huge scorpion.
April 28, 2018
While this was sweet in a way. It was too far out of my comfort zones.
dnf
April 23, 2020DNF@20% Not catching my attention. Writing is flat and boring.
September 9, 2022
2,5
I haven't read many alien romance stories with how to say it...real aliens!?
Those few books had a few main characters with blue or green skin, cat like tail or horn or two but nothing that would set them apart too much from other human main characters.
This book was a bit above my comfort zone with pincers, plates and entirely different mouth and the way Thrax eats. I'm not a big fan of bugs but I'm not overly squeamish.
Thrax was somehow developed character because his thoughts felt real and he evolved and not only in the genetically engineered way that was forced upon him. Claire, on the other hand, I didn't really like. She was immature and I don't really understand her easy feeling of detachment from the Earth where she lived quite comfortably doing what she liked and that was dancing and designing clothes. Her character development was bad and her reasoning was weird and superficial.
I think I like the idea of these weird alien romances because I want to see how their opinions about each other change with repeated contact and being united against a common enemy. The idea of totally different species communicating or trying to understand each other , usually in a hostile environment, for at least one of them can be in itself interesting without even a romance subplot.
I didn't see much of that serious stuff I expected here or it was barely touched upon.
Characters with weird appendages, unusual sex drive or them going at each other without any background story just isn't appealing to me and won't get a good rating from me.
This story wasn't deep enough for me and characters had barely any growth. The politics of many alien races was mentioned at the end and it barely scratched the surface of the plot that featured two enemy races trying to destroy each other and was the catalyst to our heroine even being abducted in the first place and our hero changed to a more human-ish version of a scorpion-ish alien. Sloppy created world with sloppy characters in it and done with a sloppy worldbuilding.
I haven't read many alien romance stories with how to say it...real aliens!?
Those few books had a few main characters with blue or green skin, cat like tail or horn or two but nothing that would set them apart too much from other human main characters.
This book was a bit above my comfort zone with pincers, plates and entirely different mouth and the way Thrax eats. I'm not a big fan of bugs but I'm not overly squeamish.
Thrax was somehow developed character because his thoughts felt real and he evolved and not only in the genetically engineered way that was forced upon him. Claire, on the other hand, I didn't really like. She was immature and I don't really understand her easy feeling of detachment from the Earth where she lived quite comfortably doing what she liked and that was dancing and designing clothes. Her character development was bad and her reasoning was weird and superficial.
I think I like the idea of these weird alien romances because I want to see how their opinions about each other change with repeated contact and being united against a common enemy. The idea of totally different species communicating or trying to understand each other , usually in a hostile environment, for at least one of them can be in itself interesting without even a romance subplot.
I didn't see much of that serious stuff I expected here or it was barely touched upon.
Characters with weird appendages, unusual sex drive or them going at each other without any background story just isn't appealing to me and won't get a good rating from me.
This story wasn't deep enough for me and characters had barely any growth. The politics of many alien races was mentioned at the end and it barely scratched the surface of the plot that featured two enemy races trying to destroy each other and was the catalyst to our heroine even being abducted in the first place and our hero changed to a more human-ish version of a scorpion-ish alien. Sloppy created world with sloppy characters in it and done with a sloppy worldbuilding.
February 23, 2018
Highly enjoyed both stories in this book! All the heroes are alien in appearance and I absolutely loved them. Susan Trombley's writing flows and her world building is amazing.
The first book features Claire and Thrax, a scorpion-like alien creature who was altered to what he is now from the thing he once was. I loved him from the moment he appeared on the pages. He'll do anything to keep her safe and to do that, they need to escape the facility that captured and tested on them. Susan made this terrifying creature beautiful, that I didn't care about his 'other' parts being different. I really felt for him when he thought Claire was disgusted by him.
The second bonus story is about a woman named Alice who gets sucked through The Nexus, a gateway to another world and is left to fend for herself. Thankfully, there happens to be another nearby to hear her cries. Iyaren is a lion-like alien who cares for her as she's injured, nursing her back to health. But he isn't the only one who wants Alice. There is also Tak, a reptile-like alien who seeks to make her his mate. This story is a m/f/m, but there is no menage. I really couldn't choose between the two if the males, so I'm glad she got both!
I highly recommend this book! I'm curious about the other characters and wonder if they will have their own books (Nemon, Evie). I know I will definitely be looking into other books by this author.
The first book features Claire and Thrax, a scorpion-like alien creature who was altered to what he is now from the thing he once was. I loved him from the moment he appeared on the pages. He'll do anything to keep her safe and to do that, they need to escape the facility that captured and tested on them. Susan made this terrifying creature beautiful, that I didn't care about his 'other' parts being different. I really felt for him when he thought Claire was disgusted by him.
The second bonus story is about a woman named Alice who gets sucked through The Nexus, a gateway to another world and is left to fend for herself. Thankfully, there happens to be another nearby to hear her cries. Iyaren is a lion-like alien who cares for her as she's injured, nursing her back to health. But he isn't the only one who wants Alice. There is also Tak, a reptile-like alien who seeks to make her his mate. This story is a m/f/m, but there is no menage. I really couldn't choose between the two if the males, so I'm glad she got both!
I highly recommend this book! I'm curious about the other characters and wonder if they will have their own books (Nemon, Evie). I know I will definitely be looking into other books by this author.
April 27, 2021
4.5 stars!
This is the first book in the Iriduan Test Subjects series and features Claire and Thrax. Claire is abducted and introduced to Thrax (a genetically engineered alien that is NOT human) who claims her as his mate. Claire, understandably, is terrified of Thrax at first but the more time they are thrown together, the more Claire realizes that Thrax isn't the bad guy.
Claire and Thrax's bond grows closer and deeper and soon they find themselves fighting for their freedom and their chance at love. There are so many great elements to this story and I found myself captivated by the world, the plot and the deep romantic connection that blossomed between Claire and Thrax.
A warning though...Thrax isn't human and doesn't possess many visually human traits and I thought this would bother me buttttt it didn't so I don't know what that says about me. My only complaint is I wanted more epilogue. Trombley really wrote a beautiful love story with some great action. Overall, if you like Sci-fi romance stories with a hero that isn't fully human then I would definitely suggest picking this one up. Maybe it makes you step outside your comfort zone, maybe not but I love a hero that is devoted to his heroine and Thrax was all that and a bag of chips.
Thanks for the recommendation Mar, Queen of Darkness...you've successfully added this author to my TBR now hahaha.
This is the first book in the Iriduan Test Subjects series and features Claire and Thrax. Claire is abducted and introduced to Thrax (a genetically engineered alien that is NOT human) who claims her as his mate. Claire, understandably, is terrified of Thrax at first but the more time they are thrown together, the more Claire realizes that Thrax isn't the bad guy.
Claire and Thrax's bond grows closer and deeper and soon they find themselves fighting for their freedom and their chance at love. There are so many great elements to this story and I found myself captivated by the world, the plot and the deep romantic connection that blossomed between Claire and Thrax.
A warning though...Thrax isn't human and doesn't possess many visually human traits and I thought this would bother me buttttt it didn't so I don't know what that says about me. My only complaint is I wanted more epilogue. Trombley really wrote a beautiful love story with some great action. Overall, if you like Sci-fi romance stories with a hero that isn't fully human then I would definitely suggest picking this one up. Maybe it makes you step outside your comfort zone, maybe not but I love a hero that is devoted to his heroine and Thrax was all that and a bag of chips.
Thanks for the recommendation Mar, Queen of Darkness...you've successfully added this author to my TBR now hahaha.
September 20, 2021
*reread and I still love this book a stupid amount.*
HOLY SHIT! I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. But I really, really did! This might be one of my favourite books read this year!
I was in the mood for an alien who, well, looked like an alien. Enough perfect, hunky blue-skinned babes - I wanted something freaky, and BOY, this book delivered!
What really surprised me, though, was how well-written it was and how in-depth the romance ended up being. It wasn't just about a human who got abducted as a breeder for a freaky monster in captivity, resulting in some kinky monster smut. Well, it was. But it was also a LOVE story. I actually felt how they fell in love, and it was so sweet and perfect.
Thrax's weird insect-like ways might throw some readers off, but not this gal! No siree, I was there every step of the way. And I adored how he called humans "soft meats" and the robots "hard arms" and the other aliens "spiked meats." It totally endeared to his simple, animalistic nature. And DAMN, for a creepy scorpion man, he sure knew how to take care of his woman!!!!!!!
All in all, I freaking adored this book, and if you're not afraid of a little monster lovin', then I HIGHLY recommend it!!!
HOLY SHIT! I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. But I really, really did! This might be one of my favourite books read this year!
I was in the mood for an alien who, well, looked like an alien. Enough perfect, hunky blue-skinned babes - I wanted something freaky, and BOY, this book delivered!
What really surprised me, though, was how well-written it was and how in-depth the romance ended up being. It wasn't just about a human who got abducted as a breeder for a freaky monster in captivity, resulting in some kinky monster smut. Well, it was. But it was also a LOVE story. I actually felt how they fell in love, and it was so sweet and perfect.
Thrax's weird insect-like ways might throw some readers off, but not this gal! No siree, I was there every step of the way. And I adored how he called humans "soft meats" and the robots "hard arms" and the other aliens "spiked meats." It totally endeared to his simple, animalistic nature. And DAMN, for a creepy scorpion man, he sure knew how to take care of his woman!!!!!!!
All in all, I freaking adored this book, and if you're not afraid of a little monster lovin', then I HIGHLY recommend it!!!
April 29, 2018
The book “The Scorpion’s mate” by Susan Trombley was a short story about a human woman Claire, who gets abducted by an Alien race, to be used as breeding stock to create super-soldiers. Her male counterpart was a genetically changed Scorpion race.
Now the idea sounded really fun, although nothing new. One could really go from there. But the execution was too superficial, uncreative ans boring.
The world building was muddy. Till almost to the end of the book, it was unclear where the whole book took place. Was it set out in a spaceship, a facility, an intergalactic station, no idea at all. I couldn’t imagine any of it for myself properly, as it lacked creativity and proper descriptions. The Alien races where nothing special or unique. Just a mix of animals, like insects and spider-like creatures mixed with some Lord of the rings races.
Additionally, the female heroine Claire was presented with an affinity for scorpions and “bugs” early on. Boring. Isn’t it the conflict that would have made this whole love story interesting?
That brings me to the interactions and thought processes of the characters. The main male character Thrax was fairly good portrayed. But the main female character Claire lacked big time. It all was way too superficial and forced into the romantic drawer that even her thought process evolved around it. And it all ended up being immature and from a logical and psychological point of view, more often really stupid than engaging.
Claire’s inner monologues, reasonings and conclusions were at times really laughable and not one bit authentic. Not only in the romantic department but also when it came to the Alien race Thrax was. Especially with the information she had obtained and should have had on her own given her background we got told about. Her comparisons the author made, when it came to the social and emotional behaviour between humans and extraterrestrial beings was immature and inexperienced.
The other side-characters were boring, stereotypical and one-dimensional.
All in all it was a ok and quick read, but boring and brainless most of the time.
Now the idea sounded really fun, although nothing new. One could really go from there. But the execution was too superficial, uncreative ans boring.
The world building was muddy. Till almost to the end of the book, it was unclear where the whole book took place. Was it set out in a spaceship, a facility, an intergalactic station, no idea at all. I couldn’t imagine any of it for myself properly, as it lacked creativity and proper descriptions. The Alien races where nothing special or unique. Just a mix of animals, like insects and spider-like creatures mixed with some Lord of the rings races.
Additionally, the female heroine Claire was presented with an affinity for scorpions and “bugs” early on. Boring. Isn’t it the conflict that would have made this whole love story interesting?
That brings me to the interactions and thought processes of the characters. The main male character Thrax was fairly good portrayed. But the main female character Claire lacked big time. It all was way too superficial and forced into the romantic drawer that even her thought process evolved around it. And it all ended up being immature and from a logical and psychological point of view, more often really stupid than engaging.
Claire’s inner monologues, reasonings and conclusions were at times really laughable and not one bit authentic. Not only in the romantic department but also when it came to the Alien race Thrax was. Especially with the information she had obtained and should have had on her own given her background we got told about. Her comparisons the author made, when it came to the social and emotional behaviour between humans and extraterrestrial beings was immature and inexperienced.
The other side-characters were boring, stereotypical and one-dimensional.
All in all it was a ok and quick read, but boring and brainless most of the time.
May 1, 2019
When a blind date double date weekend camping trip seems to be a bust, Claire decides to make the best of it. She and her friend Ava have a true interest in proving aliens exist which is why they do their weekend outings though bringing along dates who don't share their views was an obvious mistake.
Strange noises outside her tent have Claire thinking the guys are setting up a hoax alien prank. Going out to investigate gives Claire the proof she's been searching for as she's abducted by a real live UFO craft. Taken with the result that she's now a lab rat experiment for some unknown reason.
Things get real when she's put into a room with a creature having human like eyes but otherwise resembles an iridescent black winged scorpion having two extremity pincers and two human like arms. Though separated by a clear acrylic wall, it quickly becomes apparent the creature wants to get to her as it puts on an all out attack on the wall. Was she abducted intended to be food for this creature or is this all just another sick experiment by her captors?
* * * *
Never heard of this series until it came up as a freebie offering on Amazon. The question therefore is WHY DIDN'T I HEAR ABOUT THIS SERIES BEFORE? Seriously, I am a biggie fan of SciFi romance and aliens so why I never had this come across my radar is mystifying.
In the same realm as Naomi Lucas's "Cyborg Shifter" series and Penelope Flecher's "Alien Warrior" series, this features male lead characters who are physically different, physically repulsive, and totally alien but that doesn't mean they don't have value, moral conscious, or worth. No spoiler in that the lead here is a scorpion hybrid. Future installments feature a kraken hybrid, snake hybrid, and some sort of porcupine like (totally not accurate but best I can do) hybrid.
Claire & Thrax. OMG. What a couple. Imagine being thrown together in a lab like environment. Each has been experimented on and doesn't know the end game goal of their handlers. In Claire's case, she's put into a clear acrylic box while a predatory 'something' is trying to get to her. In Thrax's case, his sole purpose in this same lab like environment is to kill or be killed. His handlers have sent endless different species and creatures that he must triumph over to continue living.
Just to get it out of the way, for those on a need to know basis, this romance does include adult content scenes between the two. Be prepared though that the erotic action includes an alien who may not have or use his anatomical parts the same way as humans. hehehehehe.
Secondary characters. While they do support the main characters and give depth to the world building, the only secondary of worth for me is Nemon, who will be featured in the next installment The Kraken's Mate.
My thoughts on this story are more reflective than summation. This is a different sort of SciFi erotic romance that will have a limited fan base. While the author doesn't really expound the world building, it's ok as the characters are housed in a facility that frankly won't be pertinent in future installments. The more important aspect for me was to understand the who/what/when/where of the story that included being provided with the factoids that validate a scorpion/human physical romance if you know what I mean. The author included an Author's Note at the conclusion of the story which I found explained her stance on this series and why she did it which I found really explained why an author would take the chance publishing a book featuring "ick" type characters. It didn't give away any spoilers so I'd suggest reading that before the actual story (I'm thinking many who view my review picked this up as a freebie so they have it in their library to pull up). Loved knowing her personal thoughts and acknowledging she didn't write this for popularity. YOU GO GIRL.
So, for any SciFi alien erotic romance fans who seek 'different' and/or heroes who fall outside the norms, check out this book. Reading it was a fun experience even if I won't be seeking out a scoripion lover of my own.
😉
Strange noises outside her tent have Claire thinking the guys are setting up a hoax alien prank. Going out to investigate gives Claire the proof she's been searching for as she's abducted by a real live UFO craft. Taken with the result that she's now a lab rat experiment for some unknown reason.
Things get real when she's put into a room with a creature having human like eyes but otherwise resembles an iridescent black winged scorpion having two extremity pincers and two human like arms. Though separated by a clear acrylic wall, it quickly becomes apparent the creature wants to get to her as it puts on an all out attack on the wall. Was she abducted intended to be food for this creature or is this all just another sick experiment by her captors?
* * * *
Never heard of this series until it came up as a freebie offering on Amazon. The question therefore is WHY DIDN'T I HEAR ABOUT THIS SERIES BEFORE? Seriously, I am a biggie fan of SciFi romance and aliens so why I never had this come across my radar is mystifying.
In the same realm as Naomi Lucas's "Cyborg Shifter" series and Penelope Flecher's "Alien Warrior" series, this features male lead characters who are physically different, physically repulsive, and totally alien but that doesn't mean they don't have value, moral conscious, or worth. No spoiler in that the lead here is a scorpion hybrid. Future installments feature a kraken hybrid, snake hybrid, and some sort of porcupine like (totally not accurate but best I can do) hybrid.
Claire & Thrax. OMG. What a couple. Imagine being thrown together in a lab like environment. Each has been experimented on and doesn't know the end game goal of their handlers. In Claire's case, she's put into a clear acrylic box while a predatory 'something' is trying to get to her. In Thrax's case, his sole purpose in this same lab like environment is to kill or be killed. His handlers have sent endless different species and creatures that he must triumph over to continue living.
Just to get it out of the way, for those on a need to know basis, this romance does include adult content scenes between the two. Be prepared though that the erotic action includes an alien who may not have or use his anatomical parts the same way as humans. hehehehehe.
Secondary characters. While they do support the main characters and give depth to the world building, the only secondary of worth for me is Nemon, who will be featured in the next installment The Kraken's Mate.
My thoughts on this story are more reflective than summation. This is a different sort of SciFi erotic romance that will have a limited fan base. While the author doesn't really expound the world building, it's ok as the characters are housed in a facility that frankly won't be pertinent in future installments. The more important aspect for me was to understand the who/what/when/where of the story that included being provided with the factoids that validate a scorpion/human physical romance if you know what I mean. The author included an Author's Note at the conclusion of the story which I found explained her stance on this series and why she did it which I found really explained why an author would take the chance publishing a book featuring "ick" type characters. It didn't give away any spoilers so I'd suggest reading that before the actual story (I'm thinking many who view my review picked this up as a freebie so they have it in their library to pull up). Loved knowing her personal thoughts and acknowledging she didn't write this for popularity. YOU GO GIRL.
So, for any SciFi alien erotic romance fans who seek 'different' and/or heroes who fall outside the norms, check out this book. Reading it was a fun experience even if I won't be seeking out a scoripion lover of my own.
😉
June 25, 2023
This book was so weird and so enjoyable. This is what I look for in a Sci-fi romance book. The alien looks like an alien, it’s heavy in sci-fi which well, makes it weird. The storyline was unique and I really felt for both MMCs because they were both put in a situation they didn’t ask to be apart of. Both abducted from their home planets, experimented on and violated.
There’s a lot of world(universe?) building and I really enjoyed that because it didn’t feel like an info dump. It felt strategically given throughout the book at the right moments.
Claire cracked me up because given her situation is absolute crap, she made the most of it. Her love for alien romance books definitely helped the situation. Thrax I adored, absolutely adored. I feel like when you have a sci-fi romance book with an alien that is very alien, it makes it an even more enjoyable experience. He’s been changed to feel emotions, have a mate, to feel, move and think differently. He was complicated and was constantly learning how to adapt.
I can’t wait to continue with the rest of Susan Trombley’s work, she is a phenomenal writer in my opinion and I look forward to reading more “weird” by her.
PS: The fact that Thrax called any being that didn’t have a hard shell like him, “soft meat” is hysterical and that will forever be one of my favorite things.
There’s a lot of world(universe?) building and I really enjoyed that because it didn’t feel like an info dump. It felt strategically given throughout the book at the right moments.
Claire cracked me up because given her situation is absolute crap, she made the most of it. Her love for alien romance books definitely helped the situation. Thrax I adored, absolutely adored. I feel like when you have a sci-fi romance book with an alien that is very alien, it makes it an even more enjoyable experience. He’s been changed to feel emotions, have a mate, to feel, move and think differently. He was complicated and was constantly learning how to adapt.
I can’t wait to continue with the rest of Susan Trombley’s work, she is a phenomenal writer in my opinion and I look forward to reading more “weird” by her.
PS: The fact that Thrax called any being that didn’t have a hard shell like him, “soft meat” is hysterical and that will forever be one of my favorite things.
April 28, 2019
(This review is only for The Scorpion's Mate and not Into the Dead Fall included as a bonus. M/F/M is not my thing.)
Uhhh. . . *blink* *blink* *blink*
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. Or essentially what just happened.
It was kinda awful in the beginning and I totally still low-key hate the h, Claire.
But I kept myself moving and we got the H's POV (Thrax), can't say he was all so impressive, actually other than his inner self? I didn't really like him either but since H perspectives are so rare, I tend to stick around.
I wouldn't say it got better but it definitely gets bearable, towards the end I was even contemplating reading the next book but then we get to the epilogue and every such idea went out the window.
The end of the epilogue, the lead into the others in the series, had me fantasizing all sorts of murder-suicide scenarios, hey, there's only so much a reader can take. *shrugs*
Uhhh. . . *blink* *blink* *blink*
I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. Or essentially what just happened.
It was kinda awful in the beginning and I totally still low-key hate the h, Claire.
But I kept myself moving and we got the H's POV (Thrax), can't say he was all so impressive, actually other than his inner self? I didn't really like him either but since H perspectives are so rare, I tend to stick around.
I wouldn't say it got better but it definitely gets bearable, towards the end I was even contemplating reading the next book but then we get to the epilogue and every such idea went out the window.
The end of the epilogue, the lead into the others in the series, had me fantasizing all sorts of murder-suicide scenarios, hey, there's only so much a reader can take. *shrugs*
June 23, 2020
4.25 stars.
The beginning of the book was REALLY slow(in my opinion). But after that, I really liked how the story and romance progressed.
It was definitely something I had never read before. Because, come on, a scorpion-alien-man? I'm in.
I can't wait to read the next story about the kraken. That's definitely going to be interesting.
Overall, this was a very thought-out, interesting, unique, and strangely beautiful sci-fi romance.
The beginning of the book was REALLY slow(in my opinion). But after that, I really liked how the story and romance progressed.
It was definitely something I had never read before. Because, come on, a scorpion-alien-man? I'm in.
I can't wait to read the next story about the kraken. That's definitely going to be interesting.
Overall, this was a very thought-out, interesting, unique, and strangely beautiful sci-fi romance.
March 6, 2018
Kindle Unlimited
Two books in this one.
Both are alien men & human women.
Multiple POV is nice.
First story is the title but ends at 50%
I enjoyed both of the stories. Going hunting to see if the authors have continued the stories.
Recommended
Two books in this one.
Both are alien men & human women.
Multiple POV is nice.
First story is the title but ends at 50%
I enjoyed both of the stories. Going hunting to see if the authors have continued the stories.
Recommended
June 9, 2021
this was... surprisingly entertaining?? and very unique i've definitely never read anything quite like that. but also wtf. i rlly can't explain myself with this one.
August 21, 2020
I do love me some alien romance where the heroes are Alien. None of that Avatar blue people shit. So a scorpion alien with multiple arms? Sign me the fuck up.
We have a lot of the standard fare in this book: kidnapping for breeding experiment by aliens, falling in love with another captive alien, insta-attraction because Alien Thing, and other experiments and human female captives to set up future installments.
So I wouldn't call this the most original alien romance, but it sure hit the spot for me.
I quite like Claire as my heroine. She's not the strongest physically and not an action heroine, but she does hold her own in her mental strength. I liked that she didn't stay in the panic stage too long. Another thing I enjoyed is that she has personality and interest. A lot of alien romance seems to completely forget about the heroine's earth life before she was kidnapped. Claire likes making clothes, dancing, goth, and is plus size. Plus I love her for this comment:
And though it's short, I also like that we get an established friend of Claire's: Ava. It just adds to the backstory and I love seeing women support each other in romance.
We also get the virgin alien who is suprised and loves exploring with his human. For once he didn't just instinctually know how to do it, and Claire actually had to give him some instruction. Love that! I've never been a fan of the whole "instinctually knows how to please a woman" like women don't have different preferences.
A thing I liked about Thrax is how concious he is of the changes made to him, and also how Claire perceives him. This was a nice plot point that I felt gave him depth.
Also! No rape or dub-con (by my estimation) between the main characters. The kidnapper aliens have violated both our protagonists physically to make alterations to their bodies, but that's all we get in this book. At least by alien romance standards. If we count wild, sexy pheromones as dub-con then I could see that case being made.
I especially liked this moment when Claire is introduced to an unconcious Thrax:
So yeah, I liked it a lot and will give some of the other books a shot. Though, if I follow my usual pattern I'll give up after the 5th book. These things can just become a bit samesie. We'll see!
We have a lot of the standard fare in this book: kidnapping for breeding experiment by aliens, falling in love with another captive alien, insta-attraction because Alien Thing, and other experiments and human female captives to set up future installments.
So I wouldn't call this the most original alien romance, but it sure hit the spot for me.
I quite like Claire as my heroine. She's not the strongest physically and not an action heroine, but she does hold her own in her mental strength. I liked that she didn't stay in the panic stage too long. Another thing I enjoyed is that she has personality and interest. A lot of alien romance seems to completely forget about the heroine's earth life before she was kidnapped. Claire likes making clothes, dancing, goth, and is plus size. Plus I love her for this comment:
If I could find my perfect man, there would definitely be some carrying involved. Even if I have to hogtie him first to keep him still while he's slung over my shoulders.
And though it's short, I also like that we get an established friend of Claire's: Ava. It just adds to the backstory and I love seeing women support each other in romance.
We also get the virgin alien who is suprised and loves exploring with his human. For once he didn't just instinctually know how to do it, and Claire actually had to give him some instruction. Love that! I've never been a fan of the whole "instinctually knows how to please a woman" like women don't have different preferences.
A thing I liked about Thrax is how concious he is of the changes made to him, and also how Claire perceives him. This was a nice plot point that I felt gave him depth.
She didn't like my form as much as I liked hers, and that bothered me. Her soft, pliant mout parts - lips - made me want to taste them again, to feel them pressed against the ones that the soft meats had given me, yet I feared that she would never thouch her lips to mine again, now that she had seen how I must feed.
Also! No rape or dub-con (by my estimation) between the main characters. The kidnapper aliens have violated both our protagonists physically to make alterations to their bodies, but that's all we get in this book. At least by alien romance standards. If we count wild, sexy pheromones as dub-con then I could see that case being made.
I especially liked this moment when Claire is introduced to an unconcious Thrax:
I reached a hesitant, shaking hand out to touch his leg, but paused before my fingers made contact with the chitinous plate of his armour that protected strong, masculine thighs. A small voice in the back of my mind, beneath the heavy awareness of my arousal for him, asked me if I'd want someone touching me while I was passed out.
I pulled my hand back, but that didn't stop me from staring.
So yeah, I liked it a lot and will give some of the other books a shot. Though, if I follow my usual pattern I'll give up after the 5th book. These things can just become a bit samesie. We'll see!
March 27, 2021
When I saw this being getting recommended, I looked at the title and immediately thought it was going to be just cheesy smut. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading cheesy smut. But a lot of times when it comes to unearthly beings, aliens, any type of PNR, I find many books to have no real plot. Or if it does it’s the same recycled plot as the last hundred books that I’ve read. So I went into this book thinking it was gonna be a quick silly smutty read to get me off of my book funk that I’ve had the last few days and I actually really enjoyed this one! I’ve never heard of this author before. So I’m happy to say I found a new author to explore.
Don’t get me wrong, this book had a lot of sexy moments that included nutrient dense semen feeding that tastes like Frappes’.... 😆😆
But I mean seriously the book was written really well. I really enjoyed the whole human getting captured by aliens and thrown into being a test subject with other alien species. The one “scorpion alien” ends up being extremely interested and attracted in the human girl and they both have to fight their way out of the hands of the other alien species. I mean it was just really entertaining and I really enjoyed the book. It kept me reading without wanting to DNF it.
Don’t get me wrong, this book had a lot of sexy moments that included nutrient dense semen feeding that tastes like Frappes’.... 😆😆
But I mean seriously the book was written really well. I really enjoyed the whole human getting captured by aliens and thrown into being a test subject with other alien species. The one “scorpion alien” ends up being extremely interested and attracted in the human girl and they both have to fight their way out of the hands of the other alien species. I mean it was just really entertaining and I really enjoyed the book. It kept me reading without wanting to DNF it.
June 25, 2018
I liked this one. I mean, Thrax was very, VERY not human and that worked for me. Heck, the experiments done on him turned him into something pretty far removed from his base form and he's had to learn how to deal with emotions and a protective instinct a mile long.
Which, let's face it, was very different from how he was before.
But this book wasn't entirely about Thrax. Claire had some big adjustments to make, too. Abducted, held captive, and practically handed over to an alien with some clearly possessive instincts, she's struggling to keep up. On the up side, Thrax's super-possessive side means he'll do anything to make sure Claire is safe. Even break out of an alien habitat and take to the mean streets...err, tunnels to keep her out of the hands of those who abducted her originally.
Bottom line: I like aliens. I like when aliens find their special someone. I like complex world-building and the occasional fight ending in blood and viscera. In other words, I liked this one.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Which, let's face it, was very different from how he was before.
But this book wasn't entirely about Thrax. Claire had some big adjustments to make, too. Abducted, held captive, and practically handed over to an alien with some clearly possessive instincts, she's struggling to keep up. On the up side, Thrax's super-possessive side means he'll do anything to make sure Claire is safe. Even break out of an alien habitat and take to the mean streets...err, tunnels to keep her out of the hands of those who abducted her originally.
Bottom line: I like aliens. I like when aliens find their special someone. I like complex world-building and the occasional fight ending in blood and viscera. In other words, I liked this one.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
July 26, 2022
I have never had descriptions of a lead character take me so far out of a moment like this book has done. I HATE the female lead with every fiber of my being. All she seems to do is complain about her weight, think about her weight, and is nothing but described by her weight. Like I get it, some people want a more curvy MC but you don't have to keep making me think she weighs like 600lbs. "Everyone calls me fat on the internet" "I dont need to eat because I have so many extra calories built up" "I sound like a rhino stomping on a campfire while walking around" "Im too heavy for the big strong super weapon alien to carry" "Skinny jeans don't make me skinny" Like for the love of god. You're abducted by aliens and you're still concerned about the weight? UGH a person shouldn't be defined by her freaking weight.
The book had potential and it could have been a good idea but just descriptions, plot, and FMC seemed so shallow. Did not enjoy.
The book had potential and it could have been a good idea but just descriptions, plot, and FMC seemed so shallow. Did not enjoy.
March 28, 2018
3.5 stars ⭐️
Some of the things in this book was well little bit more alien-ish for me. Thats why it was hard to digest. Still I was in a mood to read something different so I enjoyed it. The author portrayed the heroine’s helplessness and heroes pain very well that I felt those emotions along with them.
This was a compelling read and I recommend it on your own risk.
Some of the things in this book was well little bit more alien-ish for me. Thats why it was hard to digest. Still I was in a mood to read something different so I enjoyed it. The author portrayed the heroine’s helplessness and heroes pain very well that I felt those emotions along with them.
This was a compelling read and I recommend it on your own risk.
February 28, 2022
Rating: 2.4 / 5
DNF at about 52%
*yawns* Lots of time spent on setup, but the book suffers from the fact that not enough of that time was spent on character development.
I know neither Claire NOR Thrax. There is nothing interesting or unique about them that makes me care. N-E-X-T and don't look back.
DNF at about 52%
*yawns* Lots of time spent on setup, but the book suffers from the fact that not enough of that time was spent on character development.
I know neither Claire NOR Thrax. There is nothing interesting or unique about them that makes me care. N-E-X-T and don't look back.
August 9, 2018
What’s better than one sci-fi alien romance? Two sci-fi alien romances of course! When I downloaded this book, it contained both The Scorpion’s Mate the first in the Iriduan’s Test Subjects series and Into the Dead Fall which appears to be the first book in another new series. Both are full length books, which happen in the same universe but have completely separate and unrelated stories. This is a review for both books.The Scorpion’s Mate
Another day, another human woman kidnapped by aliens for experimentation but who ends up falling in love with an alien hybrid scorpion monster man. It sounds more like the plot for a sci-fi horror than a romance. And, some of it is a little horrifying, but it isn’t the Thrax, the scary scorpion alien who turns out to be the monster.
For those of you who, like me, enjoy a sci-fi alien romance where the hero is noticeably alien then this is the book for you. Thrax didn’t only look different but his thought processes were alien as well. I admit, I actually even I found him quite hard to visualise! But, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the concept of him. I liked the heroine Claire as well, she got me at 'lip piercing' and funky hair, us pierced peps with bright hair have to stick together! But, aside from her appearance, I also appreciate a brave heroine. So, I liked that I didn’t have read a few hundred pages about her freaking out regarding Thrax’s appearance. Instead she starts to see beyond it fairly quickly.
In The Scorpion’s Mate Trombley is also building up her universe. However, this aspect it felt like it was clumsily tacked on at the end. Which, I can understand why as both characters are isolated from intergalactic life until right at the very end when they are suddenly introduced to the wider universe. But, it didn’t seem to fit right for me and I thought it disrupted the flow of the book.
However, overall I really enjoyed this book, Thrax and Claire kept me glued to the page. Their relationship was funny, sexy and sweet and I couldn’t get enough of them. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
Into the Dead Fall
We go from scorpion alien hero, to a menage involving a leonine alien hero with four arms and a lizard alien hero.
Alice always thought her father was crazy. However, she’s beginning to reconsider. Falling through a vortex into a strange alien world on top of a pile of space junk, then being saved by a four armed furry alien can do that to a girl. It gets more complicated when another alien comes along and tries to entice her away, especially as she seems to be developing feelings for both of them. What’s a girl to do?
I’ve read a few books recently where the hero and heroine can’t understand one another so they have to communicate through their actions rather than their words. Into the Dead Fall comes under that heading. There’s something really…sweet? Honest? About taking spoken language out of the equation. Whatever it is, I find it charming, which is why I loved this book so much.
It also helped that I get two aliens instead of one in this menage romance. Although for clarity, there’s no M/M but rather two former enemies learning to tolerate and even like each other for the sake of the woman they both love. And, as they both come from societies where sharing a female isn’t unheard of, it isn’t such a big stretch for them.
This was probably my favourite of the two books, although I enjoyed both of them. I have never read Susan Trombley before, so I am glad that I decided to give this duo a chance. If your tastes run similar to mine in the sci-fi romance arena, than I highly recommend that you give it a try.
*Reviewed by Suzanne❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
March 28, 2021
Overall: 1.5 stars.
I love alien romances. What that says about me, I don't know, but it's a guilty pleasure that I indulge frequently. This book, however, was not that great.
Sure, the smut was decent, but I didn't believe in Thrax and Claire's relationship. They just liked each other because of the weird pheromones. Lust. That's all it was. Thrax was cold. Claire only wanted him because she was hypnotized by the pheromones. There was no character development or intense conversations or flirting or anything else that makes a romance so compelling. Just sex, and it wasn't the best. So, the relationship and sex were meaningless and not as hot as I wanted them to be.
The plot was nothing new. Research facility, alien creatures experimenting with genetic modification, mate between an alien and a human woman, eventual escape and destruction of research facility. The usual. But I skimmed half this book. After it became clear that Thrax and Claire were only interested in each other because of involuntary impulses from the sex pheromones, I gave up. I wanted to DNF, but I wanted to see how it ended.
The worldbuilding was lackluster as well, without many details or explanation, and the translators were convenient. I also found it weird that it was somewhat commonplace for one alien species to find a mate that is a whole other alien species. Then how does a species continue when mates are completely different? It doesn't make sense that two alien species would be reproductively compatible, not to mention that the evolution of a species would lead to 2 different organisms to mate in the first place. That's bad science. But, I was willing to tolerate it since alien romances are complete fantasy anyway. This book was just more unbelievable than the other alien romances I've read.
****warning: spoilers ahead****
Another reason the romance was meaningless was that Ilyan added his genetic code to Thrax's DNA, and therefore, the only reason Thrax was attracted to Claire in the first place was because Claire was actually Ilyan's mate, not Thrax's mate. Not only is it hard to believe that they found the perfect human for Thrax in a world of 7 billion humans, not to mention countless trillions of other alien beings in the universe, but it's even more unbelievable that Claire was actually Ilyan's mate, the 1 dimensional villain of the book.
Fucking babies. Claire was outraged and disgusted that the Iriduans wanted to use her as a breeding machine. And then they "fix" whatever was noncompatible between Thrax and Claire by violating her once again, and then Claire has an alien baby without any issue or concern? Jesus. I hate the baby trope, especially the alien baby trope.
****end of spoilers***
So. Didn't hate it, but it doesn't deserve anything generous. I probably won't be continuing with the series.
Would I reread this book? No.
Would I recommend this book? No.
Was I entertained? Mildly, but then it became a chore to finish.
Happy reading, Goodreads fiends.
I love alien romances. What that says about me, I don't know, but it's a guilty pleasure that I indulge frequently. This book, however, was not that great.
Sure, the smut was decent, but I didn't believe in Thrax and Claire's relationship. They just liked each other because of the weird pheromones. Lust. That's all it was. Thrax was cold. Claire only wanted him because she was hypnotized by the pheromones. There was no character development or intense conversations or flirting or anything else that makes a romance so compelling. Just sex, and it wasn't the best. So, the relationship and sex were meaningless and not as hot as I wanted them to be.
The plot was nothing new. Research facility, alien creatures experimenting with genetic modification, mate between an alien and a human woman, eventual escape and destruction of research facility. The usual. But I skimmed half this book. After it became clear that Thrax and Claire were only interested in each other because of involuntary impulses from the sex pheromones, I gave up. I wanted to DNF, but I wanted to see how it ended.
The worldbuilding was lackluster as well, without many details or explanation, and the translators were convenient. I also found it weird that it was somewhat commonplace for one alien species to find a mate that is a whole other alien species. Then how does a species continue when mates are completely different? It doesn't make sense that two alien species would be reproductively compatible, not to mention that the evolution of a species would lead to 2 different organisms to mate in the first place. That's bad science. But, I was willing to tolerate it since alien romances are complete fantasy anyway. This book was just more unbelievable than the other alien romances I've read.
****warning: spoilers ahead****
Another reason the romance was meaningless was that Ilyan added his genetic code to Thrax's DNA, and therefore, the only reason Thrax was attracted to Claire in the first place was because Claire was actually Ilyan's mate, not Thrax's mate. Not only is it hard to believe that they found the perfect human for Thrax in a world of 7 billion humans, not to mention countless trillions of other alien beings in the universe, but it's even more unbelievable that Claire was actually Ilyan's mate, the 1 dimensional villain of the book.
Fucking babies. Claire was outraged and disgusted that the Iriduans wanted to use her as a breeding machine. And then they "fix" whatever was noncompatible between Thrax and Claire by violating her once again, and then Claire has an alien baby without any issue or concern? Jesus. I hate the baby trope, especially the alien baby trope.
****end of spoilers***
So. Didn't hate it, but it doesn't deserve anything generous. I probably won't be continuing with the series.
Would I reread this book? No.
Would I recommend this book? No.
Was I entertained? Mildly, but then it became a chore to finish.
Happy reading, Goodreads fiends.
October 20, 2021
Alien and human/ mates/ primal/ protective/ research
This was cute! I’ve read a few alien stories but the aliens are usually mostly human. This one wasn’t. Both main characters are captives for a research facility by an alien race who experiments, gene splices and tries forced breeding.
Some things:
-Our H Thrax was stolen from his planet and has been almost completely changed from his original form to become this super solider alien.
-H is protective. He smells her and knows she’s his and he will do anything to get her and keep her safe.
-H is super smart and I love how he’s protective and smart about what needs to happen to escape and keep Claire safe.
-Primal in the sense that he has to learn her language with a translator and he doesn’t understand humans. For him it’s about survival. Eat, sleep, protect, repeat. He learns a lot from Claire beyond those basic things
- Claire our h is a quirky human with some curves. No skinny string bean here and I love that. She has some resistance to Thrax at first but then she just accepts what is happening between them
-The steamy moments are diff… they aren’t super steamy Bc Thrax doesn’t need to do anything to “release his seed” but Clair teaches him. He also has the ability to make substance for Claire and he often gives her the “gift” as he calls it by having his body produce the necessary nutrients for her to sustain her self without proper food which is sexy as hell lol. 😂
-Their are some cringy moments. The h wasn’t taken nicely and she awakes to being strapped down on a med table… so yeah. Nothing graphic but it’s just cringe moments .
-Hea
-at the end we meet some side characters so I’m actually interested to hear about the next book and see other stories. I like that these aliens are aliens.
This was cute! I’ve read a few alien stories but the aliens are usually mostly human. This one wasn’t. Both main characters are captives for a research facility by an alien race who experiments, gene splices and tries forced breeding.
Some things:
-Our H Thrax was stolen from his planet and has been almost completely changed from his original form to become this super solider alien.
-H is protective. He smells her and knows she’s his and he will do anything to get her and keep her safe.
-H is super smart and I love how he’s protective and smart about what needs to happen to escape and keep Claire safe.
-Primal in the sense that he has to learn her language with a translator and he doesn’t understand humans. For him it’s about survival. Eat, sleep, protect, repeat. He learns a lot from Claire beyond those basic things
- Claire our h is a quirky human with some curves. No skinny string bean here and I love that. She has some resistance to Thrax at first but then she just accepts what is happening between them
-The steamy moments are diff… they aren’t super steamy Bc Thrax doesn’t need to do anything to “release his seed” but Clair teaches him. He also has the ability to make substance for Claire and he often gives her the “gift” as he calls it by having his body produce the necessary nutrients for her to sustain her self without proper food which is sexy as hell lol. 😂
-Their are some cringy moments. The h wasn’t taken nicely and she awakes to being strapped down on a med table… so yeah. Nothing graphic but it’s just cringe moments .
-Hea
-at the end we meet some side characters so I’m actually interested to hear about the next book and see other stories. I like that these aliens are aliens.
September 19, 2022
I started reading this book several months ago and couldn't get through the first chapter - it was horrendously boring! I put it down for months until I got a hankering for really alien alien romance and couldn't find anything else that piqued my interest so I skipped the whole first chapter, didn't even skim to refresh the parts I'd previously read and went straight into the 2nd chapter.
I would advise this if you feel yourself growing disinterested and bored while trying to start this book. The rest of the chapters were entirely engrossing and sooo good! I really loved this book! Can't wait to read the rest of the series but I have a feeling that Thrax will remain my favorite H and I actually really like the heroine too, she's not TSTL or annoyingly whiny!
2ND READ- I went back to read this again as I've been craving some monster-alien romance.
I really wish the beginning where Claire and Thrax first met had been drawn out a bit more. Also, I find their sex scenes to be so... meh, especially considering he is such a unique MMC. They have sex for the first time like it's no big deal and it's not a very detailed scene, nor are the rest. I still really loved the story and MMC so it remains a monster-alien romance that holds a special place on my shelf. Just wish it was spicier.
I would advise this if you feel yourself growing disinterested and bored while trying to start this book. The rest of the chapters were entirely engrossing and sooo good! I really loved this book! Can't wait to read the rest of the series but I have a feeling that Thrax will remain my favorite H and I actually really like the heroine too, she's not TSTL or annoyingly whiny!
2ND READ- I went back to read this again as I've been craving some monster-alien romance.
I really wish the beginning where Claire and Thrax first met had been drawn out a bit more. Also, I find their sex scenes to be so... meh, especially considering he is such a unique MMC. They have sex for the first time like it's no big deal and it's not a very detailed scene, nor are the rest. I still really loved the story and MMC so it remains a monster-alien romance that holds a special place on my shelf. Just wish it was spicier.
December 28, 2021
Sometimes the descriptions of the aliens were a little confusing, and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how this physically works.
Kissing: The face shield opens to reveal human lips but he has claws in his mouth/throat. How does a tongue fit in there? How does her tongue fit in there? What is the point of his tongue if he has throat claws??? Doesn't her face scrape against the face shield or the throat claws?
How is her body not getting scratched up from his plating or hand claws with the way he handles her?
ALSO THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: The dude has sexy venom but never uses it on her WTF????????
I know this is just a redic monster romance, but it's such a unique story and I need more details please!!
Kissing: The face shield opens to reveal human lips but he has claws in his mouth/throat. How does a tongue fit in there? How does her tongue fit in there? What is the point of his tongue if he has throat claws??? Doesn't her face scrape against the face shield or the throat claws?
How is her body not getting scratched up from his plating or hand claws with the way he handles her?
ALSO THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: The dude has sexy venom but never uses it on her WTF????????
I know this is just a redic monster romance, but it's such a unique story and I need more details please!!
May 27, 2025
“You are the flower with the sweetest nectar that is worth risking the thorns.”
I was in the mood for something... different. A huge alien scorpion sure was different! He was like a big bug with 4 arms, pinchers, and faceplates! Oooouuuu, and he could feed her nutrients with his cum...
I liked it.
The plot was your typical.. women being taken from Earth to breed with alien soldiers to make alien soldier babies.
it was good.
The ending was a bit rushed, and Claire was pretty annoying at times...like how mad she would get at Thrax when he killed things or was "cold"...like, girl...hes a giant bug. chill 🤨 I still had fun tho.
I'll probably read Nemon The Krakens book next...bc tentacles 🤭
I was in the mood for something... different. A huge alien scorpion sure was different! He was like a big bug with 4 arms, pinchers, and faceplates! Oooouuuu, and he could feed her nutrients with his cum...
I liked it.
The plot was your typical.. women being taken from Earth to breed with alien soldiers to make alien soldier babies.
it was good.
The ending was a bit rushed, and Claire was pretty annoying at times...like how mad she would get at Thrax when he killed things or was "cold"...like, girl...hes a giant bug. chill 🤨 I still had fun tho.
I'll probably read Nemon The Krakens book next...bc tentacles 🤭
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