Trista expects her alien warrior mate to be big and gorgeous.
She doesn't expect him to take her hostage.
She's already been abducted from Earth to be a tribute bride for the Drexian warriors, and Trista has finally gotten used to the idea of marrying a brawny alien warrior. Sort of. He has to be better than the awful guys from home she’s been trying so hard to forget.
Not only is Torven a Drexian warrior, but he’s also a member of Inferno Force. That means he’s bigger, tougher, and more dangerous. When he’s falsely accused of treason, he knows his only hope is to escape and give his fellow warriors time to prove his innocence.
Taking the pretty blonde tribute bride as a hostage wasn’t his plan, but Torven considers it a stroke of good luck. Until she shoots him and causes them to be marooned on a frozen planet. Between running from vicious ice creatures and avoiding alien pursuers, will she become more than his captive?
This standalone action romance novel features steamy scenes on a barren ice planet, space battles, deadly aliens hell-bent on invading Earth, and smoking-hot Drexian warriors with extra erogenous zones who are equally determined to protect Earth.
If you like hot alien warriors, spunky Earth women, steamy romance with a happily ever after, and a few laughs, you’ll love Ransomed, the fourth book in Tana Stone’s sci-fi romance Tribute Brides of the Drexian Warriors series.
I love sexy aliens and independent heroines. I grew up on Star Trek: Next Generation and Star Wars (and I adore them equally). My favorite superhero is Thor (with Aquaman a close second because, well, Jason Momoa), my favorite dessert is key lime pie (okay, fine, all pie), and I still lament the loss of Firefly.
I live in North Carolina in the US and have one husband, two teenagers, and two neurotic cats. I sometimes wish I could teleport to a holographic space station like the one in my tribute brides series (or maybe vacation at the oasis with the sand planet barbarians). :-) When I'm not writing, I love to paddleboard, dive, travel, and read obsessively!
2.0⭐️ This story is exciting and full of adventure—dangerous and tortuous. The central focus of this book is on Torven, a Drexian warrior from their elite fighting force and Trista, the tribute bride (his matched mate) from earth. In short, Torven is an honorable Drexian on his way to meet Trista when he is arrested, taken into custody on a trumped up charge of treason, punishable by death. Those he trusts need more time to uncover the conspiracy and unmask the real culprits. Therefore, Torven’s only option is to flee until he can clear his name. Knowing that Drexians will never endanger the life of a tribute bride, he takes Trista hostage, and flees the space station to parts unknown.
Given the scenario described above and based on previous books in the series, I eagerly anticipated reading about treacherous and perilous obstacles that Torven and Trista would have to face and overcome. Torvan charts a course that will take them to a planet with an outpost where it would be unlikely that they would easily be found before he could reclaim his honor and good name.
Just as my expectations are running high, the story takes a severe downturn. While Torven has his back turned, Trista shoots him twice with his blaster, although Torven has proclaimed his innocence and explained why he “kidnapped” her. As a result of the two blaster hits, Torven falls unconscious, unable to navigate the ship or change course as necessary. Let me remind you—Trista is human, she’s never traveled in space to other galaxies or planets, and she’s never piloted an alien ship. Yet, she renders the only pilot, unconscious and incapable of getting them to safety. That’s what I term TSTL. Naturally, the ship crashes. They have landed on a completely frigid, icy planet. This unforgiving planet has dangerous creatures living under the surface, and the enemy of the Drexians are searching for them. I’ll skip ahead to the point where Trista has a hissy fit, and leaves their hiding place to search for a way off this planet—during a snowstorm. I can’t even formulate a cogent thought about this because Trista’s actions are incomprehensible and defy plain common sense. So, no matter what endearing qualities Trista may possess, she will remain TSTL, in my opinion.
All in all, the story is good, and it’s exciting. I know that all heroines are not kick-ass, but most often each possesses innate qualities that have some value in moving the story along. In this case, any positive attributes that “TSTL Trista” may have, unfortunately, are overshadowed by her carelessness and rank stupidity. IMHO, another plot device could have redeemed this book. Trista’s character flaws are wholly responsible for the very generous rating I’ve given it—2.0.
The following ratings are out of 5: Romance: 💚💜💙🤎 Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪 Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔 World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏 Character development: 😋🙂☺️😘🥰 Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙 Narration type: Solo Narration
🛡️ Hero Spotlight: Torvin
Torvin is no ordinary Drexian—he served in the elite Inferno Force, the galactic equivalent of Delta Force or Navy SEALs. Feared across alien worlds and forged in the fires of distant battles, he’s a warrior with a code. But his latest mission hits closer to home: he’s been matched with one of the last human females, a rare and precious bond now complicated by the looming threat of the Kronock. These technologically superior enemies have made Earth too dangerous to visit, and Torvin’s match is more than a romantic twist—it’s a political powder keg.
📸 Heroine Spotlight: Trista
Trista’s been stuck on “The Boat”—a luxury space station named after the retro TV show The Love Boat—but she’s never felt like part of the crew. Dresses and makeup? Hard pass. She’s a grease-stained, engine-loving rebel who’d rather rebuild a shuttle than plan a wedding. Kidnapped from Earth as part of a government-sanctioned bride program, Trista escaped one toxic relationship only to land in another kind of captivity. Her grit and self-doubt make her stand out from the other brides, and her quiet competence is a breath of fresh air in a sea of sequins.
🚀 Plot Pulse
Torvin’s journey to claim his bride takes a sharp detour when he’s arrested for treason. Instead of champagne and vows, he’s staring down a prison cell. Betrayed and furious, he escapes—taking Trista with him. Their getaway lands them on a frozen, desolate planet, where survival becomes the only priority. As they battle the elements and each other, the real enemy remains out there, and Torvin’s innocence hangs in the balance.
💘 What Hit Home
• The premise is solid: a falsely accused warrior, a reluctant bride, and a hostile planet make for high-stakes tension. • Trista breaks the mold—she’s not a damsel, she’s a mechanic with backbone. • The journey trope is well-executed, and Tana Stone continues to deliver emotionally grounded alien romance.
🧐 What Fell Flat
• The frozen planet arc dragged a bit. I craved more momentum—less snow, more showdown. The emotional tension was strong, but the external stakes needed a boost. • Torvin’s kidnapping of Trista is a major plot point, but it felt under explored once they bonded. I wanted more reckoning, more fallout.
🎧 Narration Notes
Jodie Bentley handles dual POV narration with skill, keeping the emotional tone grounded and engaging. While her performance is expressive, Trista’s voice occasionally veers into “bubble-headed blonde” territory, which clashes with the character’s grit. I typically prefer dual narrators for romance, but Bentley’s solo delivery holds up and adds value to the bundle. Stone’s storytelling remains a standout in the genre, and Bentley’s narration amplifies the emotional beats.
📝 Final Takeaway
A strong entry in the Drexian Warriors series, with a heroine who defies expectations and a hero caught in a web of betrayal. The frozen planet may chill the pacing, but the emotional core stays warm. For fans of alien romance with bite, this one’s worth the ride.
I really wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. It could have though, if the MFC wasn’t such a fucking idiot. Honestly, she ruined the book for me.
Torven was on his way to the “Love Boat” to claim his bride when he was arrested for being a traitor. He is handcuffed and shipped to the boat as a common criminal. He needs to buy time for his friends to prove his innocence. So he grabs his matched bride, Trista, and steals a shuttle and takes off. Ok, I’m all in with this book up until this point . . . And that’s when things take a turn for the worse.
Trista makes no sense as she continually contradicts herself when she’s talking to, or thinking about Torven. She even successfully gaslights him so he ends up apologizing to her for shooting him! At this point I decide that I hate our heroine and don’t give a shit about what happens to her. . . Of course all her stupidity is blamed on her ex boyfriends. Talk about narcissistic tendencies. So at about 30% or so, I just basically skim the rest of the book. At that point, I’m only looking for tidbits related to the overarching storyline.
Here’s my issue, and quandary, when this happens to me when reading a book . . . How should I rate it when I like everything else about it, except for one of the main characters? When I begin a new a book, they all start out with 3 stars, an average rating, and we go up or down from there. Then I also think about how I feel when the book is done. I do think this author writes some great books, I have really enjoyed this series up until this point. Great plot, great characters, at least until we get to Trista. I really wanted another 5 star book, but I have to rate it low because the MFC was so unlikeable that it ruined the book for me. Sorry Torven, you got screwed here! And it’s definitely not a good sign that I skimmed most of the book because I couldn’t bear to read any more of Trista’s stupid musings. The sad thing is, the author didn’t need to make Trista so stupid to have our book . . . Their ship was hit by a solar flare which took out and engine and damaged the other. That could have happened without Trista shooting Torven and still would have found them stranded them on the ice planet without Trista’s stupidity. There was still a lot of character development that could have taken place while they were trying to survive such an inhospitable environment.
Anyway, I don’t recommend this book. I’ll put the only relevant things you need to know, under the cover of this spoiler alert . . .
Tribute Brides of the Drexian Warriors is based on the large muscled humanoid aliens with tan skin who’ve spent their lives battling the enemy aliens called the Kronock. There had been a secret treaty with Earth for the past 30 years where the Drexians have been granted permission to abduct human females in exchange for protection against the Kronock. The only conditions are that the females be unattached (with no one to shed light on their disappearance) and that the Drexians keep the secrecy of alien existence. The tribute brides are taken to a space station behind Saturn called “The Loveboat” where they are mated (married) to their Drexian warriors. The war with the Kronock is still ongoing.
Written in third person perspective, Ransomed is book 4 in this series, and follows Drexian Torven and his human mate Trista. Trista was a human abducted into the tribute brides who had a bad habit of dating bad boy bikers. She enjoyed her mechanics hobby and her skill came in handy. She had been the last one in her bunch awaiting the arrival of her Drexian husband. Torven was an inferno warrior, a part of Dorn’s crew, when he was set up to take the fall as a traitor by someone in High Command. He was taken into custody on his way to the Boat to claim his mate Trista. Dorn hints to Torven that he needs to run and buy him time to find the real traitor after he arrives at the Boat before his trial. Torven kidnapped his mate, using her as leverage for his escape, and the two break down on an uninhabited icy planet. Where they, of course, grow close and fall in love.
Like all the other books, this couple have their ups and downs, back and forths. She fights the claiming, then he fights the claiming. She fights her feelings and he is a typical male idiot that makes poor decisions. One forgives the other way too easily, then things work out in their favor and they live happily ever after.
I will say that this book did make me laugh more than others with their playful banter. His reaction to her shooting him, and then when they both fell off the cliff. Priceless. Lol.
Admittedly, the dialogue “tell me your mine, and only mine,” and “this pussy belongs to only me,” made me hotter than anything else Tana has written. I guess I’m all about that dominating possessive caveman behavior. Too bad the Drexians have a bad habit of not letting their actions back up their words in public due to honor.
I might need therapy, but that’s what books are for, right? Lol
I will continue the series since I do enjoy Tana Stone’s writing. Thankfully, the books aren’t painfully long. Although, I find it takes too long for the sexual encounters to take place and I find myself getting bored with the story at times. It might be better if the books were shorter.
I just loved this book. It was so well-written that it captured my mind and I was dragged along for the ride. Once I started reading I could not put it down until I read the last page.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Contains subject matter that may be a trigger or offensive to some including adult language, adult intimate scenes and violence.
While this could be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend it be read in order for maximum reader satisfaction and to prevent spoilers.
There are only a couple of grammatical errors; much better than a lot of authors. Trista and Tourin had a strong storyline, with reoccurring characters from previous stories. The story universe continues to form and makes for a great place to continue series for the foreseeable future.
Please do not read any of the following unless you have read the previous stories or there will be spoilers.
Here is a high level overview of how the story begins:
Tourin is a Drexian warrior who has been serving at a far away outpost along with their most fierce warriors. He was matched with a Tribute bride, but was delayed for a few weeks defending against their mortal enemy, the Kronock.
He stops along with his crew mate to fill up on fuel and food. Before they can continue with their trip to the Boat, Tourin is arrested by the High Command for treason. This is the absolute worst crime a Drexian can be accused of, as it demonstrates that they have no integrity or honor.
Trista is a human female that was abducted with the permission of earth’s leaders in exchange for protection against the Kronock. She is considered to be very shy and timid by the others. None of them understand her background and the changes she was trying to make. Trista fought against being a Tribute, but has come to accept that she will be presented to a Drexian warrior, but believes she will be rejected. Especially if he is anything like her former boyfriend, whom she can still hear berating her every time she tries to do something.
Then the day finally arrives that he Drexian warrior would be arriving ... unfortunately she is informed that he cannot claim her as he has been charged with treason .... WHAT!?? Then he shows up and their is a chemistry between them ... how could he possibly be guilty? Then he kidnaps her from the Boat as leverage ...
I am going to stop here so I don’t accidentally provide any spoilers.
I enjoyed Torven and Trista’s alien-human, fated mates with a side of kidnapping and political intrigue romance. The Drexians have been protecting Earth for decades from the evil Kronock race. In exchange, Earth governments provide tribute brides to the Drexians. Torven is a Drexian Inferno Force warrior who is on his way to the Boat to meet his tribute bride when he’s accused of and arrested for treason. Trista is a human who has a history of dating abusive bikers before she was taken from earth to be a tribute bride. To give his friends time to prove his innocence, Torven kidnaps Trista and flees the space station. Things get even more interesting when they crash on a frozen planet, plus enemies,dangerous creators and enemies are added to the mix. I have a soft spot for the people who are a bit uncomfortable in their skin because they don’t feel like they fit in or are worthy, like Trista. So I love when they finally see their truth and they get swoon worthy HEAs. Torven and Trista’s was great. The story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters, and an engaging storyline with sweet moments, steam, dangerous situations, alien physiology and cultures, fated mates, coincidences, plot twists, painful pasts, missteps, healing, and laughs.
After being abducted from Earth Trista's now a tribute bride and she expects her Drexian Warrior to be big and gorgeous. What she really didn't expect was for him to take her hostage. Drexian Torven is a member of Inferno Force so is bigger, tougher and much more dangerous than many others. When he was falsely accused of treason he knows that his only hope is to escape and give his fellow warriors time to prove his innocence. Taking Trista as his hostage wasn't in his plan but considers it a stroke of good luck until she shoots him and causes them to be marooned on a frozen planet. Between running from ice creatures, avoiding alien pursuers he wonders if she will become more than just his captive?
I enjoyed this book which had Trista fighting an internal battle on whether to trust Torven (which manifested into shooting him) and Torven fighting to retain his honour, resist Trista and keep them both safe and well on the frozen planet. I was pleased that so many people were trying to work out who was behind the framing of him as well as the fact that they had a result at the end of the book. Well written and easy to read/understand. Contains explicit sexual content.
This is the fourth book in the Tribute Brides of the Drexian Warriors Series, a Sci-Fi Alien Warrior Romance. This is another great addition to the Series. You can listen to this story as a standalone, but I recommend you to listen to this Series in order for a better understanding of the Drexian's world, and because each story is great. Torvan and Trista's story is entertaining, and steamy. Trista is a wonderful character, feisty and strong. Torvan is handsome, caring and protective. They share a sizzling chemistry. I like their banter. Misunderstandings, and a lack of communication, bring them through some troubles! The story is fast-paced, captivating, and well written. The world building is well done and intriguing. Jodie Bentley did a great job with the narration. I enjoyed it. If you like Sci-Fi romance, this Series is for you! I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Istg If Trista was real I would throttle her. She repeatedly makes stupid decision after stupid decision. She isnt thinking about her safety at all. She gets kidnapped, but quickly understand that the, " kidnapping" is part of a grander plan that other Draxians are using to buy them time. She is treated well and her chosen mate, Trovan is very kind to her. Literally explaing to her the plan. And she repays him by shooting him in the back twice?! Her reason, she freaked out a little. Just a little bitch? You're flying in a mother fucking spaceship. No idea where your going. No idea how to fly it. Just fucking stupid. Guys, she doesnt change. She continues to have these little, " freak outs," and continues to fuck shit up.
Trovan nade this book tolerable. He is golden and sweet. It's not his fault he got stuck with such a fucking idiot.
Our girl Trista is finally getting a mate….well basically. Her mate is set up for something he didn’t do, so he escapes with his supposed to be tribute bride, our Trista. They land off course on an ice planet, I know, sounds cozy right? (Shakes head). This was quite the adventure, as all the books in this series are. They encounter quite a few obstacles, including their ship sinking, and evading the Kronock. Luckily Torven’s bestie knows he’s innocent and comes looking for him.
Safe read, with a hot Inferno Force warrior and his grease monkey. A great adventurous storyline that will have you glued to the pages. An epilogue and hea. Next book please. This series is definitely book crack, I am just cruising through the series.
Warrior alpha aliens whose lives are spent keeping the peace but for some it is in the front lines fighting an enemy who destroys worlds. Earth doesn’t know aliens exist except for the government. A deal was made, and women are given in exchange for protection. This fun tale sees women and warriors come together on a space station that is supposed to be a fantasy place. Except it may be stuck in a time that was relevant years ago. It takes its name from the TV series The Love Boat. There is much laughter and action to keep you occupied whilst enjoying this read. Journey along as they learn to navigate forging ahead to a union together and fighting the bad guys. I look forward to reading the rest of this sci fi romance series.
Torven is en route to meet his tribute bride, Trista, when he's suddenly arrested for treason. Torven would never turn traitor, but makes a snap decision to kidnap his bride and escape his trial to buy his friends enough time to find the real traitor. Trista is fed up with being abducted - again - and is determined to rescue herself, except she kinda has a thing for Torven.
This was a fun episode in the Tribute Bride saga. looking forward to the next book.
Was not the best book in the series. It seemed like the "I love you" moment was anti climatic for me. It eemed like it was just added in without either characters having the typical inner dialogue / build up to figure it out. The h went from leaving him and being furious to "I love you" when the H apologized. None of her inner dialogue led up to that realization before she said it.
I love how this series draws you in and makes the people and places feel real. Although I love this series, this wasn’t my favorite book, I feel like it need more couple building. I would recommend this series and you should read them in order. Although each story is a complete story about the couple in it, the overall events are connected and you see couples from previous books .
I liked this book. This book added a double dose of action and adventure to an already enjoyable blend of drama, emotion and heat that fills the pages of this sci-fi romance. I thought that the characters were very likable. The chemistry and tension between Torven and Trista was so easy to feel. Single narration on this book but the voice is pleasing and the performance is well done and involving. All together another solid entry in this fun series and simply a very good book.
Ms. Stone is still plugging away at a very high level with this fascinating series! Everything is still maintained at a very high level that is well-written, imaginative, fairly logical, and captivating with eroticism, romance, action, and a little suspense! I've pretty much abandoned my other reading projects and my other favorite pasttimes. Recommended!
I can't believe that the high command of the Drexian empire actually blamed Torven for the infiltration of the Kronok on the boat when it was a member of high command that was the traitor who aligned themselves with the enemy. I'm just glad that they were able to clear his name, and he was able to get his HEA with Trista. Now, I can't wait to see what happens with Dak and the human he falls for!
Unbelievable! What an exciting book. The action, not only has you unable to put this book down, but it just keeps getting better and better. It’s not every book where the heroine gets abducted three times and each time is more dangerous than the last. Warning: do not start this book unless you have time to finish it the same day, or you could be up very, very late.
This was my favourite because the FMC of this novel has - all the way through the last 3 books - been very stand offish and you never got to know her... I like that she wasn't what I was expecting. I like she's smart, mechanically minded and willing to take a chance even when she's been beaten down by life so many times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Kidnapped from Earth, kidnapped from The Boat, kidnapped from the ice planet, Trusts is very tired of being kidnapped when she blasts her last kidnapper.
Torvin is just heading to the Boat when he gets arrested for treason, framed by a High Commissioner, he grabs his tribute bride and takes off to give his friends time to uncover the frame and clear his name.
Thank goodness for this book finally the series picks up and actually has more interesting characters and more of a story. Apart from the now boring love boat…. Enjoyed the first 2 books but with a lot of series the books became repetitive. Straight onto the next in the series glad I didn’t give up on it now.Torven and Trista’s story. Brilliant stranded on an ice planet.
Torven and Trista are a fun couple. They have been through a lot but this story ends well and the true traitors have been arrested. I am definitely looking forward to reading Dak's story!
I just found this book and it grabbed my attention, the plot's action packed and the characters engaging and kept me enrapt to the end. Finding out this part of a series was a bonus, and trying to line up as many as I could to binge listen to, and I enoyed Jodie Bentley's expressive narration!
I really liked Trista and Torven, a lot! Trista has been shy and quiet throughout the last 3 books. It was nice to finally hear from her. Tana Stone is quickly becoming a favorite SciFi Alien Romance writer of mine. Definitely check this out.
This book has so much action you won’t get bored!! The characters are great and likeable. Lots of chemistry between them. I was worried as this is the first book I’ve listened to in this series but it is written very well and I understood the dynamic of all the relationships.
I really enjoyed listening to this story. There were adventure and romance and a hint of comedy as well. Great combination pack. Narrator did an excellent performance in bringing characters to life. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.