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Starfall Ranch
30-year-old Shiloh Kerridan migrated to the moon world Sirona 5 years ago with one goal: to put a lifetime of betrayals behind her and never deal with a broken heart again. That stuff was better off left behind on Earth where it couldn't find her. Now she's the sole inhabitant and owner of 30 beautiful acres of land that she calls Starfall Ranch.
Life has been good to her at Starfall, and she hasn't minded the loneliness one bit. But the discovery of a rich vein of platinum beneath the land has a rich mining company breathing down Shiloh's neck for a piece of her pie. And what's worse, her orchards are succumbing to relentless blight and her farm droids keep malfunctioning or turning up broken.
The last thing she needs right now is an unexpected visitor.
Smart, beautiful, witty Thisbe Vandergoss leads a charmed life on 22nd century Earth; her family's power, connections, and resources are unmatched. At 25 years old, she's already a billionaire--thanks to her overbearing parents puppeteering her through every decision in her life. But now they're demanding she do the unthinkable for the good of the family, and Thisbe can't take it anymore.
Desperate to escape their grasp before it's too late, Thisbe signs up for a mail-order-bride matchmaking service that sends her to the far-off farm world Sirona to meet her new husband, Sean Kerridan. Better to have her own life with a 76-year-old man on another world than a life dictated by her parents' horrifying every whim, right?
Thisbe shows up at Starfall Ranch and realizes she's found the wrong S. Kerridan just as a storm cell sweeps through the valley, temporarily cutting off all communication, and Thisbe's way to her intended husband.
As two women from two very different worlds get to know each other over stubborn goats and apple pastries, the sparks begin to fly and they soon discover that they may have needed to cross a galaxy to find a chance at true love. But can they overcome their own fears, not to mention the machinations of powerful clans, to make it last?
Life has been good to her at Starfall, and she hasn't minded the loneliness one bit. But the discovery of a rich vein of platinum beneath the land has a rich mining company breathing down Shiloh's neck for a piece of her pie. And what's worse, her orchards are succumbing to relentless blight and her farm droids keep malfunctioning or turning up broken.
The last thing she needs right now is an unexpected visitor.
Smart, beautiful, witty Thisbe Vandergoss leads a charmed life on 22nd century Earth; her family's power, connections, and resources are unmatched. At 25 years old, she's already a billionaire--thanks to her overbearing parents puppeteering her through every decision in her life. But now they're demanding she do the unthinkable for the good of the family, and Thisbe can't take it anymore.
Desperate to escape their grasp before it's too late, Thisbe signs up for a mail-order-bride matchmaking service that sends her to the far-off farm world Sirona to meet her new husband, Sean Kerridan. Better to have her own life with a 76-year-old man on another world than a life dictated by her parents' horrifying every whim, right?
Thisbe shows up at Starfall Ranch and realizes she's found the wrong S. Kerridan just as a storm cell sweeps through the valley, temporarily cutting off all communication, and Thisbe's way to her intended husband.
As two women from two very different worlds get to know each other over stubborn goats and apple pastries, the sparks begin to fly and they soon discover that they may have needed to cross a galaxy to find a chance at true love. But can they overcome their own fears, not to mention the machinations of powerful clans, to make it last?
193 pages, ebook
First published October 26, 2019
7 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
California Dawes
13 books10 followersCalifornia Dawes is a lover of romance, fantasy, mystery, and the allure of the open road. Her romances are always set in queernorm worlds where complex characters explore the depths of their desires, pursue the truth of their hearts, and sometimes fight some demons along the way.
She lives in the San Francisco area with two highly opinionated cats and the sweetest dog in the universe. When she's not writing swoon-worthy romances, California enjoys RPGs, running, road trips, and good coffee shops.
Join her mailing list here for news, cover reveals, free short stories, and more: https://tinyurl.com/calidawes
Read more at http://www.californiadawes.com
Follow her on Twitter: @inkyfirelight
She lives in the San Francisco area with two highly opinionated cats and the sweetest dog in the universe. When she's not writing swoon-worthy romances, California enjoys RPGs, running, road trips, and good coffee shops.
Join her mailing list here for news, cover reveals, free short stories, and more: https://tinyurl.com/calidawes
Read more at http://www.californiadawes.com
Follow her on Twitter: @inkyfirelight
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 20, 2020
3.5*
Money won’t solve all your problems, especially when the money is your parents’, not yours, and they’re the ones creating the problems. To escape her parents’ insane plan of having her inseminated with a mix of their own DNA to create the perfect child, Thisbe Vandergoss applies as a mail-order bride under an assumed name and is shipped to Sirona, on the other side of the galaxy, to marry a seventy-six-year-old settler. A series of misunderstanding brings her to the wrong farmer. Shiloh ‘Shy’ Kerridan left her own fucked-up life on Earth many years ago when she moved as far as possible. She’s content with her life of growing apples and making goat cheese with as little contact as possible with other inhabitants of Sirona. She likes her routine and the quiet her 30 acres afford her, despite the unexplained failures of her droids – which, coincidentally, began when she refused to sell her land to a mining facility hoping to take advantage of the platinum vein lying underneath. And she’s absolutely not ready for the beautiful and oh-so-sexy stranger showing up on her doorstep.
A rich girl with countless business degrees who loves baking above all, a recluse on a faraway planet, these two should never have met so it must be fate… At first, Shy is very unwelcoming but Thisbe is so charming, she can’t help but like her. The more she lets her in, the more she likes her. Shy’s surliness doesn’t scare Thisbe away and they end up falling in love very quickly. I don’t mind instalust, not so much instalove, but once again, I guess sometimes circumstances such as shared danger can explain it.
Maybe the very serious and scary conditions of Thisbe’s flight from Earth could have been more developed, but I didn’t mind that this ended up being a light read. The writing was uneven, with a few clumsy sentences and others that were incredibly lovely. The descriptions were cool and made me wish I could see Sirona with my own eyes. All in all, Starfall Ranch was a fun and easy read, with sweet characters in a promising new world.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Money won’t solve all your problems, especially when the money is your parents’, not yours, and they’re the ones creating the problems. To escape her parents’ insane plan of having her inseminated with a mix of their own DNA to create the perfect child, Thisbe Vandergoss applies as a mail-order bride under an assumed name and is shipped to Sirona, on the other side of the galaxy, to marry a seventy-six-year-old settler. A series of misunderstanding brings her to the wrong farmer. Shiloh ‘Shy’ Kerridan left her own fucked-up life on Earth many years ago when she moved as far as possible. She’s content with her life of growing apples and making goat cheese with as little contact as possible with other inhabitants of Sirona. She likes her routine and the quiet her 30 acres afford her, despite the unexplained failures of her droids – which, coincidentally, began when she refused to sell her land to a mining facility hoping to take advantage of the platinum vein lying underneath. And she’s absolutely not ready for the beautiful and oh-so-sexy stranger showing up on her doorstep.
A rich girl with countless business degrees who loves baking above all, a recluse on a faraway planet, these two should never have met so it must be fate… At first, Shy is very unwelcoming but Thisbe is so charming, she can’t help but like her. The more she lets her in, the more she likes her. Shy’s surliness doesn’t scare Thisbe away and they end up falling in love very quickly. I don’t mind instalust, not so much instalove, but once again, I guess sometimes circumstances such as shared danger can explain it.
Maybe the very serious and scary conditions of Thisbe’s flight from Earth could have been more developed, but I didn’t mind that this ended up being a light read. The writing was uneven, with a few clumsy sentences and others that were incredibly lovely. The descriptions were cool and made me wish I could see Sirona with my own eyes. All in all, Starfall Ranch was a fun and easy read, with sweet characters in a promising new world.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 19, 2023
I loved the concept of STARFALL RANCH and thought it was a really cute idea to bring together our two heroines and the futuristic setting was also a unique idea. Thisbe is desperate to escape her parent's horrendous plans to force her to have a baby so she joins a matchmaker site. She pairs up with an elderly man who is looking for platonic company on his lonely ranch but when Thisbe travels to Sirona she gets her directions mixed up and ends up at Shiloh's farm just before a storm. In addition to this, Shiloh is being plagued by strange mishaps at her farm and the local mining CEO is pestering Shiloh to allow mining on her land. This all created a great set up that had me really excited for where this story would go.
I liked both Shiloh and Thisbe and they were a bit of sunshine meets grumpy which is always fun. At first, Thisbe seems like she might just be the poor rich girl but we truly see that she's a genuine person who has sacrificed all her dreams for the sake of her parent's wishes. It was nice to see her start to find her own way on Sirona.
While I enjoyed the first part of the book I lost a lot of momentum in the last third and just wasn't as engaged, which is likely more to me than anything else. However, I did feel like there were certain aspects of the story that just weren't executed very well which was sad considering how much I liked the setup. For instance, the situation surrounding Thisbe leaving Earth is pretty horrifying and she's extremely upset by it, which all makes sense. But I felt like as the book went on the seriousness of that situation diminished and it wasn't given the right amount of gravity. Thisbe's parents, along with our villain mining CEO, became almost comical examples of "bad guys" and this took away from the story in my opinion.
Content Warning: Thisbe’s parents want to force her to have kids (to continue the family line) via artificial insemination using a combination of genes from Thisbe and her parents; Shiloh has a troubled past with possible sexual abuse; references to gaslighting by parents and suicidal thoughts
I liked both Shiloh and Thisbe and they were a bit of sunshine meets grumpy which is always fun. At first, Thisbe seems like she might just be the poor rich girl but we truly see that she's a genuine person who has sacrificed all her dreams for the sake of her parent's wishes. It was nice to see her start to find her own way on Sirona.
While I enjoyed the first part of the book I lost a lot of momentum in the last third and just wasn't as engaged, which is likely more to me than anything else. However, I did feel like there were certain aspects of the story that just weren't executed very well which was sad considering how much I liked the setup. For instance, the situation surrounding Thisbe leaving Earth is pretty horrifying and she's extremely upset by it, which all makes sense. But I felt like as the book went on the seriousness of that situation diminished and it wasn't given the right amount of gravity. Thisbe's parents, along with our villain mining CEO, became almost comical examples of "bad guys" and this took away from the story in my opinion.
Content Warning: Thisbe’s parents want to force her to have kids (to continue the family line) via artificial insemination using a combination of genes from Thisbe and her parents; Shiloh has a troubled past with possible sexual abuse; references to gaslighting by parents and suicidal thoughts
July 15, 2020
A super fun adventure!
Thisbe is tired of her parents having control of her life and planning her future. When they make a life choice for her that is just a step too far, Thisbe takes her future into her own hands and goes on the run. Desperate to get away, Thisbe applies to matchmaking service on the world of Sirona. When she arrives her paranoia gets the better of her. Convinced her parents have already tracked her disappearance, Thisbe panics and finds herself of the doorstep of Starfall Ranch where she meets Shiloh. With an unexpected visitor now at the ranch, Shiloh and Thisbe have to learn to work together, and that in doing so they can both get what they want.
This was so much fun to read! As sci-fi romance I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to encounter in this story, and that’s the fun of sci-fi. This story really was out of this world, and the concept was truly unique and fascinating in so many respects. I loved the whole idea of it and how it was filled with surprised at the turn of a page. There were many unexpected events and it built a clever but easy to follow plot.
Shiloh and Thisbe had quite the relationship throughout the course of the story, and their circumstances were brilliant! They were clearly destined to meet, and in a strange way it was fate and they were just a perfect match. They were both brilliantly unique characters, strong, determined and they challenged one another. They were really cute when they trusted each other and their vulnerabilities regularly surfaced.
I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it. Rather than being detailed complex sci-fi it was just fun and fabulous and something a bit different. Hopefully there will be more from Shy and Thisbe in future.
Thisbe is tired of her parents having control of her life and planning her future. When they make a life choice for her that is just a step too far, Thisbe takes her future into her own hands and goes on the run. Desperate to get away, Thisbe applies to matchmaking service on the world of Sirona. When she arrives her paranoia gets the better of her. Convinced her parents have already tracked her disappearance, Thisbe panics and finds herself of the doorstep of Starfall Ranch where she meets Shiloh. With an unexpected visitor now at the ranch, Shiloh and Thisbe have to learn to work together, and that in doing so they can both get what they want.
This was so much fun to read! As sci-fi romance I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to encounter in this story, and that’s the fun of sci-fi. This story really was out of this world, and the concept was truly unique and fascinating in so many respects. I loved the whole idea of it and how it was filled with surprised at the turn of a page. There were many unexpected events and it built a clever but easy to follow plot.
Shiloh and Thisbe had quite the relationship throughout the course of the story, and their circumstances were brilliant! They were clearly destined to meet, and in a strange way it was fate and they were just a perfect match. They were both brilliantly unique characters, strong, determined and they challenged one another. They were really cute when they trusted each other and their vulnerabilities regularly surfaced.
I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it. Rather than being detailed complex sci-fi it was just fun and fabulous and something a bit different. Hopefully there will be more from Shy and Thisbe in future.
December 16, 2019
Billionaire heiress Thisbe (love the name) needs to get far away from her overly controlling parents and flees earth to become a mail order bride on Sirona. She ends up at the home of the wrong Kerridan and instead of meeting Sean, meets Shy. I thought this was a sweet story between 2 adorably screwed up people that were perfect for each other. I gave a 1/4 star for the use of the the term “jagoff” which I have never encountered in a book of fiction. Anyone from Pittsburgh Pa would be familiar with it but outside of the area, I’ve never heard it used. It’s recently been added to Oxford’s English dictionary! It was a special treat to see. I adored Wallis and their humor added a nice balance to the book. Overall it was an enjoyable read. I received an ARC for free of this book and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
January 23, 2020
In more ways than one, this truly was out of this world! I loved it.
Thisbe and Shy are brilliant characters, and together they were utterly smokin'!
Thisbe and Shy are brilliant characters, and together they were utterly smokin'!
December 22, 2020
Sapphic romance with a great formula: grumpy space farmer, a billionaire heiress on the run, an unwanted mining deal, and a desperate mail-order-bride scheme gone wrong...
Content warnings include: unsupportive parents, plants unwanted IVF, sex on-page, unwanted flirting, sabotage, mentions of incest and implied child abuse and rape.
I loved the first half of the book and getting to know Shy and Thisbe. Their backgrounds were established well and in the exact right amounts, not too long or too short. When they first met, there was a bit of a clash, especially from Shy's side.
The second half of the book didn't convince me as much as the first. Especially from Shy I had wanted more character development. She could be quite the asshole, prone to extremely harsh outbursts that are totally uncalled for, always jumping to the worst conclusions. This fit with her personal background, but she does this until the very end without getting better, and some of the things she says and does to Thisbe were unexcusable in my opinion.
Generally the book lacked a conclusion for me. There's a big timejump between the last two chapters, skipping from confrontation that doesn't end well right to happily every after, only mentioning in passing how tensions were resolved. This was very unsatisfactory.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Content warnings include: unsupportive parents, plants unwanted IVF, sex on-page, unwanted flirting, sabotage, mentions of incest and implied child abuse and rape.
I loved the first half of the book and getting to know Shy and Thisbe. Their backgrounds were established well and in the exact right amounts, not too long or too short. When they first met, there was a bit of a clash, especially from Shy's side.
The second half of the book didn't convince me as much as the first. Especially from Shy I had wanted more character development. She could be quite the asshole, prone to extremely harsh outbursts that are totally uncalled for, always jumping to the worst conclusions. This fit with her personal background, but she does this until the very end without getting better, and some of the things she says and does to Thisbe were unexcusable in my opinion.
Generally the book lacked a conclusion for me. There's a big timejump between the last two chapters, skipping from confrontation that doesn't end well right to happily every after, only mentioning in passing how tensions were resolved. This was very unsatisfactory.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
January 24, 2020
I've never read sci fi before and I was a bit wary starting this book. But I really liked this one. Shiloh and Thisbe are amazing characters. I especially loved Shiloh, she was sassy and confident, total badass.
I was immersed in this world so easily. Romance with sexy times and a little bit of action, this was perfectly put together. Such an entertaining read. Highly recommend.
It's really well written and well paced. Thisbe's baking has left me so hungry. Especially that recipe at the end! Also absolutely loved Wallis! They are a delight!
*ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
I was immersed in this world so easily. Romance with sexy times and a little bit of action, this was perfectly put together. Such an entertaining read. Highly recommend.
It's really well written and well paced. Thisbe's baking has left me so hungry. Especially that recipe at the end! Also absolutely loved Wallis! They are a delight!
*ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
January 22, 2020
I do love a sci fi romance and this was an interesting alternative world of planets. Really enjoyed it. All the talk of home cooking made me want to bake! I even took a picture of the hidden recipe at the end of the book ;)
February 23, 2020
Another fun romance with a wild premise. Characterization needed some work but it was entertaining enough to keep me reading. Full review coming soon
February 11, 2020
Content warnings:
Look, this book has a lesbian hermit space farmer. I’m pretty sure that’s all I have to say to explain why I picked this book up!
Shiloh, known as Shy, is perfectly content with her thirty acres of farming bliss on Sirona. Or at least, she thinks she’s content, until Thisbe shows up at her doorstep with a storm on her heels. Thisbe, escaping from her evil family on Earth, was meant to become a mail-order bride to someone on the complete opposite side of the planet – but then she met Shy. Stuck together during the storm, the two can’t deny their attraction to each other. But when the storm clears out, will Thisbe be gone as well?
So we’ve obviously got one of my favorite tropes – grumpy vs sunshine. I thought Shy was an excellent character, perfectly grumpy and set in her ways, but it took me a bit to warm up to poor-rich-girl Thisbe. They have instant chemistry, though, and they’re absolutely adorable together, from Thisbe’s attempt to cook breakfast for Shy (which naturally backfires) to their stumbling steps towards a relationship in the latter half of the book (they get googley-eyed over making a grocery list together.) Neither have ever had a serious relationship, so there’s a lot of blushing and aww-ing over their relationship firsts. It’s sweet, but the instalove was unrealistic for me and made me doubt the strength of the HEA. They’ve only known each other for a few days and all of sudden they want to get married and live together?
I loved the first half of the book – Shy’s daily life, Thisbe’s escape from Earth and their initial meeting and start of their relationship – but felt letdown by the ending. The light tone – the humor, the silly puns that I absolutely loved – didn’t fit well with the seriousness of Thisbe’s conflict with her parents, and there was a bit of handwaving with that part of the plot at the end that left me frustrated. I did love all the descriptions of Sirona, and there’s a particularly lovely moment on a starlit hillside. The secondary characters were a bit underdone, besides Wallis, Shy’s farmhand, who was the perfect foil for Shy.
So, overall, while there was a lot about this book that didn’t work for me, there were things that worked well enough – Shy and Thisbe’s relationship, the setting – that I’ll be keeping an eye out for Ms. Dawes’ next book.
I received this book for free from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Look, this book has a lesbian hermit space farmer. I’m pretty sure that’s all I have to say to explain why I picked this book up!
“So what in the world was Shy’s entire problem? She was hot as sin and blessed with a voice that could melt permafrost, but clearly her brain was housing one too many issues of her lifetime subscription to Mad Hermit Farmer Quarterly.”
Shiloh, known as Shy, is perfectly content with her thirty acres of farming bliss on Sirona. Or at least, she thinks she’s content, until Thisbe shows up at her doorstep with a storm on her heels. Thisbe, escaping from her evil family on Earth, was meant to become a mail-order bride to someone on the complete opposite side of the planet – but then she met Shy. Stuck together during the storm, the two can’t deny their attraction to each other. But when the storm clears out, will Thisbe be gone as well?
“You are a life saver!” Thisbe exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat. “Can… can I hug you? I’m a hugger.”
“Of course you are and no, you may certainly not.”
So we’ve obviously got one of my favorite tropes – grumpy vs sunshine. I thought Shy was an excellent character, perfectly grumpy and set in her ways, but it took me a bit to warm up to poor-rich-girl Thisbe. They have instant chemistry, though, and they’re absolutely adorable together, from Thisbe’s attempt to cook breakfast for Shy (which naturally backfires) to their stumbling steps towards a relationship in the latter half of the book (they get googley-eyed over making a grocery list together.) Neither have ever had a serious relationship, so there’s a lot of blushing and aww-ing over their relationship firsts. It’s sweet, but the instalove was unrealistic for me and made me doubt the strength of the HEA. They’ve only known each other for a few days and all of sudden they want to get married and live together?
“Thisbe got up and wrapped her arms around Shy’s shoulders. Her eyes sparkled in a way that made Shy want to spend every waking moment thinking up more new ways to make Thisbe exactly that happy over and over again.”
I loved the first half of the book – Shy’s daily life, Thisbe’s escape from Earth and their initial meeting and start of their relationship – but felt letdown by the ending. The light tone – the humor, the silly puns that I absolutely loved – didn’t fit well with the seriousness of Thisbe’s conflict with her parents, and there was a bit of handwaving with that part of the plot at the end that left me frustrated. I did love all the descriptions of Sirona, and there’s a particularly lovely moment on a starlit hillside. The secondary characters were a bit underdone, besides Wallis, Shy’s farmhand, who was the perfect foil for Shy.
So, overall, while there was a lot about this book that didn’t work for me, there were things that worked well enough – Shy and Thisbe’s relationship, the setting – that I’ll be keeping an eye out for Ms. Dawes’ next book.
I received this book for free from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
February 2, 2020
What I Think: This tale was well balanced from the start, having enough grit to make it real, enough humor to have me snort water through my nose. But I knew I would love it when I read this sentence: The Nordic God of gaping fish! Shy and I became fast friends after that. Her blunt, straight shooter ways making her irresistible even as jealousy lanced my heart. She’s living my dream: a farm big enough to not have neighbors, growing food and animals, running a property homestead. Ah, the life. Add writing, getting published and I’ve achieved heaven on earth. But, I digress.
This tale is a brilliant, sci-fi twist on the mail order bride idea. Thisbe should be living the dream and should be envied, hated even, yet she finds herself running from people who have no business being family and I love that she’s got enough guts to see it through even as she walks away from the comfort of everything she knows, grasping an uncertain future with the determination to land on her feet. She’s beautiful, has eyes big and deep enough to drown in. And she bakes. Dear goddess, she bakes. She bakes. That’s a done deal. She can have me as her valet and all-round problem solver.
I love the attraction that flows between them, an attraction filled with mutual respect and admiration, a concrete foundation for something more and longer-lasting. Which of course means it will hurt that much more when the truth is revealed. And yes, it hurt. Like a sucker punch to the throat that leaves you choking and gasping for air as I tried to breathe enough for both of them, afraid that Shy would let her past stop her from holding on to the best thing that ever happened to us. Err, I mean her.
The recipes had my mouth watering, sweet hound that I am. Again, I would hand over my entire kitchen plus meager salary. The cussing was infectious enough to give me a touch of a potty mouth for the next week but the desire was a flame in the belly. You see, in my narrow opinion (as I haven’t read as many as I would like to), a lot of FF romances tend to leave out a good dollop of lust and desire and I’m so glad that this doesn’t. It gives us every thrum of desire, every whisper of lust and its toe tingling. Ah, this tale had me giddy with delight!
But I wanted to smack Shy so many times. Then, I’d remember her background, empathize with her for 5 minutes before smacking her several times in my mind. This dance of love was soothing, exciting and satisfying!
Verdict? A comfort keeper to remind you to be brave enough to grasp love when it finds you!
This tale is a brilliant, sci-fi twist on the mail order bride idea. Thisbe should be living the dream and should be envied, hated even, yet she finds herself running from people who have no business being family and I love that she’s got enough guts to see it through even as she walks away from the comfort of everything she knows, grasping an uncertain future with the determination to land on her feet. She’s beautiful, has eyes big and deep enough to drown in. And she bakes. Dear goddess, she bakes. She bakes. That’s a done deal. She can have me as her valet and all-round problem solver.
I love the attraction that flows between them, an attraction filled with mutual respect and admiration, a concrete foundation for something more and longer-lasting. Which of course means it will hurt that much more when the truth is revealed. And yes, it hurt. Like a sucker punch to the throat that leaves you choking and gasping for air as I tried to breathe enough for both of them, afraid that Shy would let her past stop her from holding on to the best thing that ever happened to us. Err, I mean her.
The recipes had my mouth watering, sweet hound that I am. Again, I would hand over my entire kitchen plus meager salary. The cussing was infectious enough to give me a touch of a potty mouth for the next week but the desire was a flame in the belly. You see, in my narrow opinion (as I haven’t read as many as I would like to), a lot of FF romances tend to leave out a good dollop of lust and desire and I’m so glad that this doesn’t. It gives us every thrum of desire, every whisper of lust and its toe tingling. Ah, this tale had me giddy with delight!
But I wanted to smack Shy so many times. Then, I’d remember her background, empathize with her for 5 minutes before smacking her several times in my mind. This dance of love was soothing, exciting and satisfying!
Verdict? A comfort keeper to remind you to be brave enough to grasp love when it finds you!
March 16, 2020
“Cheers to Starfall Ranch. And the badass goddess that runs this place.”
“Cheers to Starfall Ranch. And the angels disguised as unexpected house guests.”
Have you ever thought, “Wow, I’d really love a sci-fi, lesbian, 18+, Hallmark-esque romance? Well, this book is for you then!
At first, I wasn’t sure about this book. I’m not a huge sci-fi person, and just wasn’t sure if this book was gonna be for me. But once I got into it, it was adorable and I couldn’t stop!
“You fucked up my life, but in the most amazing way. I had everything sorted out before you showed up on this porch with my seed catalog in your hand.”
Now, onto the important stuff - the romance in this book!
Starfall Ranch has got some great, classic romcom scenes and tropes that are overused in straight romances - but in lesbian romances? GIVE ME MORE!
My only issue is that Shy and Thisbe’s relationship is very much... instalove. To me, at least.
“Listen, I have way too much professionalism to call my boss a goddamned liar to her face, but I’m also not saying you’re not a goddamned liar.”
WALLIS DESERVES THEIR OWN WHOLE SECTION OF THIS REVIEW. A GENDERQUEER ICON. They are easily my favorite character in this story. They’re sassy, reasonable when nobody else is, helpful, hilarious, amazing, and did I mention my favorite?
“You can literally infuse your pastries with—”
“Don’t say it!”
“—The essence of Achieve Mint.”
My only other complaint is
Overall, if you’re looking for a cute, gay love story... this is for you!
A huge thank you to Book Sirens for getting this book into my hands!
“Cheers to Starfall Ranch. And the angels disguised as unexpected house guests.”
Have you ever thought, “Wow, I’d really love a sci-fi, lesbian, 18+, Hallmark-esque romance? Well, this book is for you then!
At first, I wasn’t sure about this book. I’m not a huge sci-fi person, and just wasn’t sure if this book was gonna be for me. But once I got into it, it was adorable and I couldn’t stop!
“You fucked up my life, but in the most amazing way. I had everything sorted out before you showed up on this porch with my seed catalog in your hand.”
Now, onto the important stuff - the romance in this book!
Starfall Ranch has got some great, classic romcom scenes and tropes that are overused in straight romances - but in lesbian romances? GIVE ME MORE!
My only issue is that Shy and Thisbe’s relationship is very much... instalove. To me, at least.
“Listen, I have way too much professionalism to call my boss a goddamned liar to her face, but I’m also not saying you’re not a goddamned liar.”
WALLIS DESERVES THEIR OWN WHOLE SECTION OF THIS REVIEW. A GENDERQUEER ICON. They are easily my favorite character in this story. They’re sassy, reasonable when nobody else is, helpful, hilarious, amazing, and did I mention my favorite?
“You can literally infuse your pastries with—”
“Don’t say it!”
“—The essence of Achieve Mint.”
My only other complaint is
Overall, if you’re looking for a cute, gay love story... this is for you!
A huge thank you to Book Sirens for getting this book into my hands!
May 29, 2020
I think I encountered this on the WisCon discord server, in the channel for creators to promote their work.
I was torn on the rating -- I wound up at 2 since that's my code to myself for "don't seek out more from this author", but it seems unfair, because the book was just about what I expected. I guess I bought it because the premise was entertaining and I hoped to be pleasantly surprised by the writing/plotting.
Thisbe is an heiress and businesswoman on earth, who flees when her family's control of her life becomes unbearably intrusive.
Shiloh (Shy) is an independent rancher on Sirona, a moon that is being settled by emigrants from Earth. She keeps to herself, having made it clear to the local men that she is not.interested.
Thisbe signs up to be a mail-order bride for an elderly gentleman on Sirona who supposedly just wants companionship, in exchange for a free ticket off Earth. She misses her connection, and just happens to find her way to Shy's ranch instead, where the two lesbians quickly fall for each other. This was only the first of many happened-because-the-plot-demanded it events. This is always a pet peeve of mine -- I want worldbuilding robust enough that major events make sense, rather than being grating examples of deus ex machina.
Meanwhile, Shy is having problem after problem on her ranch, which turn out to be being caused by Gransel, who wants to mine for platinum under her ranch. He is a convenient villain, providing one of the required sources of conflict in the book.
Overall, it was a fast read, and not bad for what I assume is a self-published romance.
I was torn on the rating -- I wound up at 2 since that's my code to myself for "don't seek out more from this author", but it seems unfair, because the book was just about what I expected. I guess I bought it because the premise was entertaining and I hoped to be pleasantly surprised by the writing/plotting.
Thisbe is an heiress and businesswoman on earth, who flees when her family's control of her life becomes unbearably intrusive.
Shiloh (Shy) is an independent rancher on Sirona, a moon that is being settled by emigrants from Earth. She keeps to herself, having made it clear to the local men that she is not.interested.
Thisbe signs up to be a mail-order bride for an elderly gentleman on Sirona who supposedly just wants companionship, in exchange for a free ticket off Earth. She misses her connection, and just happens to find her way to Shy's ranch instead, where the two lesbians quickly fall for each other. This was only the first of many happened-because-the-plot-demanded it events. This is always a pet peeve of mine -- I want worldbuilding robust enough that major events make sense, rather than being grating examples of deus ex machina.
Meanwhile, Shy is having problem after problem on her ranch, which turn out to be being caused by Gransel, who wants to mine for platinum under her ranch. He is a convenient villain, providing one of the required sources of conflict in the book.
Overall, it was a fast read, and not bad for what I assume is a self-published romance.
January 10, 2020
Clever, modern and fun. 5 stars are not enough.
It's an review copy, and a mix of genres, which can be hit or miss. That said, I started falling for the lead character, Shiloh, a few pages in with this self-assured comeback:
“I’m going to stop you right there, Gran. First of all, I am not interested in men. A fact that I do believe was widely and publicly established when I first settled on this rock five years ago. Secondly, you are not the man to f~ck me straight, alright? No matter what you think, it's not going to happen. Not with you, not with any dude who comes swaggering onto my property. Now that that's out of the way, what the f~ck did you come here to tell me that you couldn't have sent in a friendly e-mail? Because I know d~mn well you didn’t get up at this hour of the day to deliver an ill-advised booty call request in person.”
You have my attention.
I fell into the world this book created effortlessly, reading it in one sitting. The leading ladies are in turns sassy, clever, vulgar, and vulnerable. They both work hard for their achievements, and do their best to be their own people, apart from their dysfunctional families. Add in the evil, mustache-twirling villain referenced above and Wallis, a delightful non-binary friend to round out the lead characters.
There's dirty language, smut, a semi-familiar alien world, farming, a killer library, online dating, a new romance... And all of it blends perfectly together.
I received a copy of the book for review purposes.
It's an review copy, and a mix of genres, which can be hit or miss. That said, I started falling for the lead character, Shiloh, a few pages in with this self-assured comeback:
“I’m going to stop you right there, Gran. First of all, I am not interested in men. A fact that I do believe was widely and publicly established when I first settled on this rock five years ago. Secondly, you are not the man to f~ck me straight, alright? No matter what you think, it's not going to happen. Not with you, not with any dude who comes swaggering onto my property. Now that that's out of the way, what the f~ck did you come here to tell me that you couldn't have sent in a friendly e-mail? Because I know d~mn well you didn’t get up at this hour of the day to deliver an ill-advised booty call request in person.”
You have my attention.
I fell into the world this book created effortlessly, reading it in one sitting. The leading ladies are in turns sassy, clever, vulgar, and vulnerable. They both work hard for their achievements, and do their best to be their own people, apart from their dysfunctional families. Add in the evil, mustache-twirling villain referenced above and Wallis, a delightful non-binary friend to round out the lead characters.
There's dirty language, smut, a semi-familiar alien world, farming, a killer library, online dating, a new romance... And all of it blends perfectly together.
I received a copy of the book for review purposes.
January 20, 2020
Oh Shiloh, where can I find me one of you? Shiloh was awesome! She had sass, a backbone, was willing to get dirty and generally was badass. She was fantastic as a main character and her grumpy behavior was perfect counter to Thisbe Vandergoss’s spoiled little rich girl attitude. Thisbe has a lot more to her though than what you see on first glance. I really liked the mix up and how it brought these two characters together that otherwise would have never met.
The writing was good, and the pacing was good as well. There is plenty of Romance and steamy scenes amidst the Science Fiction Backdrop. There is some action, conflict amongst the other ranchers as well as Thisbe’s family but it all plays together beautifully in the end.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens in exchange for my honest opinion.
The writing was good, and the pacing was good as well. There is plenty of Romance and steamy scenes amidst the Science Fiction Backdrop. There is some action, conflict amongst the other ranchers as well as Thisbe’s family but it all plays together beautifully in the end.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 9, 2020
I really like the characters, especially Wallis, and I enjoyed the story up until the last one or two chapters. I was really hoping for more of… something with Thisbe’s parents, so when I got to the end, I was a bit disappointed. Instead of giving me more action to show how it was resolved, it was just told with a quick explanation.
That aside, I did like every other part of the story and I even found myself chuckling at times. Thisbe and Shy are both likeable characters, both having flaws, but also both trying hard to change. Even with how I felt about the ending, I found myself engrossed in the story until the very end.
That aside, I did like every other part of the story and I even found myself chuckling at times. Thisbe and Shy are both likeable characters, both having flaws, but also both trying hard to change. Even with how I felt about the ending, I found myself engrossed in the story until the very end.
January 28, 2024
This was an add one for me. Absolutely loved the beginning, aside from some lines that would just pop up and feel completely tonally off from what was otherwise a super natural-feeling writing style, but those kinds of lines kind of took over and the tone shift by the end felt really at odds with the story it was telling (and ad others mentioned, the end was also glossed over and rushed).
Still had fun, especially when the first half kept giving me “improbable gentleman jack space farm au” vibes with the mining politics.
Really good! Lost its way before it could be great.
Still had fun, especially when the first half kept giving me “improbable gentleman jack space farm au” vibes with the mining politics.
Really good! Lost its way before it could be great.
December 16, 2019
Beautiful
Masterfully written. A science fiction setting so thoroughly realistic, you forget that Sirona isn’t somewhere you can hop off to. Real characters that jump off the page without stigmas or stereotypes. It will have you longing for apple strudel muffins and romantic camping trips. Look forward to more from Dawes.
Masterfully written. A science fiction setting so thoroughly realistic, you forget that Sirona isn’t somewhere you can hop off to. Real characters that jump off the page without stigmas or stereotypes. It will have you longing for apple strudel muffins and romantic camping trips. Look forward to more from Dawes.
May 25, 2021
An enjoyable, easy to read, and fun story with some really fun characters. I read this last year when I had hit a reading rut, and it really got me. Engaging, well drawn characters and a fresh and interesting setting.
December 6, 2019
Need more lesbian books like this
We need more books like this for lesbians and in the sci fi genre. Hell all genre’s. Please write more lesbian novels!
We need more books like this for lesbians and in the sci fi genre. Hell all genre’s. Please write more lesbian novels!
December 29, 2019
I was so entertained and thrilled while reading this story. I truly loved the twist and turns, ups and downs, and I also enjoyed all the characters.
December 30, 2019
Really good book
I laughed a lot ready this book. And in my opinion that’s a high complement. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good story.
I laughed a lot ready this book. And in my opinion that’s a high complement. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good story.
January 25, 2020
Not Sci-fi
I am not ordinarily a fan of sci-fi but I have to say I really enjoyed this story! Very entertaining. And I LOVED the puns. Made me laugh out loud!
I am not ordinarily a fan of sci-fi but I have to say I really enjoyed this story! Very entertaining. And I LOVED the puns. Made me laugh out loud!
Read
July 2, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Child sexual abuse recounted
Incest mentioned
Emotional abuse & gaslighting
Suicidal ideation
Child sexual abuse recounted
Incest mentioned
Emotional abuse & gaslighting
Suicidal ideation
January 3, 2022
Fairly enjoyable read, but the ending was abrupt and way too easy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2019
Strudel, Love, and Farm Bots - oh, my!
Starfall Ranch, what can I say? It’s a great read and easy fun. Dawes’ writing helps one very quickly fall in love with a new planet (Sirona) and new cast of characters. Shy and Thisbe are all kinds of adorable, from beginning to end and every moment in between.
Dawes’ world building style is a subtle one, and I’m so here for it. The format allows one to get immersed in the sci-fi aspects of the tale without becoming lost to them. Farm bots? Genius!
At the same time, Dawes expertly plays up the cozy homestead feel that introduces one hell of a strudel recipe (it’s given as a bonus at the end of the book). That home feeling drives the under current of the story, the feeling of the narrative, and is a key element to what makes Starfall Ranch as beautiful as Bel from the grasses of Sirona.
My only angst about Starfall came from the pacing. I feel like it was a smidge rushed towards the end. With that in mind, I acknowledge that the pacing through the beginning and mid sections didn’t give me any pause. I admit, though, when I fall in love with characters I am ever eager to read more of their journey.
Speaking of characters, can we discuss Wallis and representation and how Dawes’ pulled this off seamlessly? Wallis is there and wonderfully who they are - and I love it! I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance novel that incorporated a non-binary character. Here Dawes’ did it organically, without trying to overshoot or over sell it or their story. It put me very much in the mind of the writing and execution of “Zayn Petrossian” from Netflix’s “Another Life” sci-fi series.
I definitely recommend StarFall Ranch as a cozy Lesbian Romance. I’m giving it 5 stars based on story narrative, immersion potential in the tale, as well as character development and representation.
Starfall Ranch, what can I say? It’s a great read and easy fun. Dawes’ writing helps one very quickly fall in love with a new planet (Sirona) and new cast of characters. Shy and Thisbe are all kinds of adorable, from beginning to end and every moment in between.
Dawes’ world building style is a subtle one, and I’m so here for it. The format allows one to get immersed in the sci-fi aspects of the tale without becoming lost to them. Farm bots? Genius!
At the same time, Dawes expertly plays up the cozy homestead feel that introduces one hell of a strudel recipe (it’s given as a bonus at the end of the book). That home feeling drives the under current of the story, the feeling of the narrative, and is a key element to what makes Starfall Ranch as beautiful as Bel from the grasses of Sirona.
My only angst about Starfall came from the pacing. I feel like it was a smidge rushed towards the end. With that in mind, I acknowledge that the pacing through the beginning and mid sections didn’t give me any pause. I admit, though, when I fall in love with characters I am ever eager to read more of their journey.
Speaking of characters, can we discuss Wallis and representation and how Dawes’ pulled this off seamlessly? Wallis is there and wonderfully who they are - and I love it! I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance novel that incorporated a non-binary character. Here Dawes’ did it organically, without trying to overshoot or over sell it or their story. It put me very much in the mind of the writing and execution of “Zayn Petrossian” from Netflix’s “Another Life” sci-fi series.
I definitely recommend StarFall Ranch as a cozy Lesbian Romance. I’m giving it 5 stars based on story narrative, immersion potential in the tale, as well as character development and representation.
March 5, 2020
In five words or fewer: When Eleanor met Tahani…
Shiloh is a former party girl / current recluse.
Tahani, er… Sorry, Thisbe is the only daughter of ultra-wealthy monsters. I mean, seriously… She is Tahani. Her parents are Tahani’s parents. Even without knowing precisely why, it’s pretty obvious why she had to get away.
Once I saw Thisbe as Tahani, I couldn’t help but see Shiloh as Eleanor. The only time I had to do a bit of a double-take was when Thisbahani stood on her tiptoes to kiss Shileanor.
We all know those two belonged together, right?
Anyway… This was a super-quick easy read. The characters were believable, entertaining. The plot worked. Thisbahani’s language occasionally ventured into the American, but was mostly authentically British.
Please don’t take my comparison to the Good Place as an insult. It’s a good thing. This is a great story.
The story is heavy on the romance. The sex scenes, though there aren’t many, are seriously graphic. Both of these things are very much not my scene, but I actually didn’t find them as distracting as I sometimes do.
Shiloh is a former party girl / current recluse.
Tahani, er… Sorry, Thisbe is the only daughter of ultra-wealthy monsters. I mean, seriously… She is Tahani. Her parents are Tahani’s parents. Even without knowing precisely why, it’s pretty obvious why she had to get away.
Once I saw Thisbe as Tahani, I couldn’t help but see Shiloh as Eleanor. The only time I had to do a bit of a double-take was when Thisbahani stood on her tiptoes to kiss Shileanor.
We all know those two belonged together, right?
Anyway… This was a super-quick easy read. The characters were believable, entertaining. The plot worked. Thisbahani’s language occasionally ventured into the American, but was mostly authentically British.
Please don’t take my comparison to the Good Place as an insult. It’s a good thing. This is a great story.
The story is heavy on the romance. The sex scenes, though there aren’t many, are seriously graphic. Both of these things are very much not my scene, but I actually didn’t find them as distracting as I sometimes do.
March 8, 2021
It is fiction so I'd forgive the 3-7 days fall in love drama. The description of sirona was well done, relatable with little addon imaginations. The food....well, i wish the book could conjure the pastries right out of the pages.
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