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Argurma Salvager #1
Broken Earth
Veral’monushava’skahalur is an oddity among his species, a lone Argurma cyborg divorced from his own kind by choice and to escape termination as a malfunctioning unit. Wandering the fringes of space as a salvager, he comes across a planet beyond the boundaries of the federation, rich in metals remnant of a dead civilization. Or so he thought.
Confronted by cannibalistic mutations of the indigenous species, his salvage has suddenly become a lot more complicated. Even more so when he encounters a female surviving on her own. She is strong and fearless, begrudgingly earning his admiration. Terri is hardened by a life of hunger and watchfulness, and yet is moved by a compassion that he’s never possessed. When his admiration turns into the first signs of a forming mate-bond, he knows his fate is sealed. Unlicensed mating is forbidden—if his malfunctioning wasn’t already a death sentencing, taking her for her mate would be. Yet, he finds that letting her go is no longer an option.
Please be advised that this book has graphic sex and violence that may not be appropriate for all audiences.
Confronted by cannibalistic mutations of the indigenous species, his salvage has suddenly become a lot more complicated. Even more so when he encounters a female surviving on her own. She is strong and fearless, begrudgingly earning his admiration. Terri is hardened by a life of hunger and watchfulness, and yet is moved by a compassion that he’s never possessed. When his admiration turns into the first signs of a forming mate-bond, he knows his fate is sealed. Unlicensed mating is forbidden—if his malfunctioning wasn’t already a death sentencing, taking her for her mate would be. Yet, he finds that letting her go is no longer an option.
Please be advised that this book has graphic sex and violence that may not be appropriate for all audiences.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2020
767 people are currently reading
2882 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Sanders
86 books1,007 followersS.J. Sanders is a mom of two toddlers and one adult living in Anchorage, Alaska. She has a BA degree in History, but spends most of her free time painting, sculpting, doing odd bits of historical research, and writing. While she has more research orientated writing under another pen name, her passion is sci-fi and paranormal romance of which she is an avid reader. After years of tinkering with the idea, and making her own stories up in her head, S.J has began to seriously pursue writing as an author of Sci-fi Romance utilizing her interests in how cultures diversify and what they would look like on a extraterrestrial platform to humans interacting with them and finding love.
She can be found on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Author-SJ-Sa...
And follow her blog at https://sjsandersromance.wordpress.com
She can be found on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Author-SJ-Sa...
And follow her blog at https://sjsandersromance.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 352 reviews
December 19, 2021
So I got on Kindle Unlimited to try and find something different to read. I was in the mood for something that would be new to me and came across this book. It's the cover that sold me. Most of the time when I see Alien romances the covers are sexy abs/men that are just a different color. But the hero on this cover was so unique I just had to see what the story was about. I was so surprised that I loved it. The whole story captivated me. I loved Veral he was like nothing I have ever read before, and I have read a lot. I love how slowly he changed as his love for Terri grew. I loved Terri too. She was brave, strong, but compassionate. They made a kick ass team and a really cute couple. I enjoyed the plot and liked Terry's two friends Meg and Becky I really hope they get a book. Overall a good book and I can't wait to read the next one!
February 19, 2024
This sci-fi had fascinating alien elements, but the bleakness of a post-apocalyptic Earth with humanity surrounded by decay and fallen so low was difficult for me. Major trigger warnings exist in this one that made me sick to my stomach in places (I'll include a list below). I'm personally not a fan of grittier sci-fi books so I knew going in that this would be a challenge to read, however I loved the romance so I stuck with it. Some friends enjoyed this book more so my reading was greatly affected by my personal preferences.
The story opens with Veral (H) on his spaceship and arriving at a previously unexplored planet so that he can salvage items to then sell in space. He has an adorable animal companion he's bonded to that's d0g-like. Veral has separated himself from his home world, but still thinks very differently than a human. He's logical, calculated, and he has cybernetic upgrades. Terri’s (h) alone in Phoenix, AZ, surviving by hiding and scrambling for resources, while hoping she can eventually escape to the coast. She had lived with her father, who was killed by a gang (and it drove me a little crazy that the author never completely explained how this happened, although other parts of the book were so disturbing, it's almost welcome she was vague), and her best friend gave herself up to be a companion for one of those gang members.
Terri's compassionate nature, resiliency, and strength of character carried the book. She has an early run in with Veral while he's scavenging and she's running from the gang. She escapes while Veral was captured. He spends some time held by the gang before Terri's moved to risk her own safety to help him (partly thanks to discovering his pup and falling in love with his alien preciousness, but also feeling guilty about what his owner's going through). Veral was grumpy and focused on his mission, which Terri agrees to help with in exchange for transport, yet he respected Terri and softened to her in a slow but amazing way. There are major cultural differences and a special bond that forms between them.
Written in third person, dual POV. No real ow/om drama, though once the H and h save some other women, some show too much interest in H and disgust him. Dual virgins (H’s species of alien only feels desire once they bond with a mate).
I enjoyed all of the little moments between Terri and Veral and esp how his behavior towards her changed as their bond formed. He became so protective of her and of their relationship (his reaction when other women approached him was exactly how I'd want my husband to react btw, full threat display and all). Most of the book follows them as navigate daily life with scavenging and adapting to each other. The steam takes a bit to get to but was well-written and does have some special features, including a prehensile bit of anatomy. I just loved them together and thought they popped off page as their special little unit.
It was scary that Terri and Veral not only had the threat from the gang, but other threats too, including a somewhat vague threat from Veral's home world for bonding without approval. In fact, the plot lines involving these threats were not handled in the best way in my opinion. Some of what happened didn't fully make sense to me when I peered closely at it, esp the ease with which some of the danger was quickly handled after the suspense that built over them. But I appreciated that Terri and Veral put themselves in situations to help others in spite of dangers to themselves.
The ending is HFN with Terri and Veral both safe, in love, and living a good life. I'm fine with where this story ended and satisfied in their romance and leaving the rest up to imagination. My understanding is that the other books in this series continue to follow these characters, but with how gritty this book got, I'm not willing to chance more uncomfortable reading situations for myself. Most of my friends on here tend to lean towards the less-dark alien books, like me, so I don't know whether this is one I'd recommend or not. If you like dark and gritty worlds, with an alieny alien though this might be up your alley!
Trigger warnings:
The story opens with Veral (H) on his spaceship and arriving at a previously unexplored planet so that he can salvage items to then sell in space. He has an adorable animal companion he's bonded to that's d0g-like. Veral has separated himself from his home world, but still thinks very differently than a human. He's logical, calculated, and he has cybernetic upgrades. Terri’s (h) alone in Phoenix, AZ, surviving by hiding and scrambling for resources, while hoping she can eventually escape to the coast. She had lived with her father, who was killed by a gang (and it drove me a little crazy that the author never completely explained how this happened, although other parts of the book were so disturbing, it's almost welcome she was vague), and her best friend gave herself up to be a companion for one of those gang members.
Terri's compassionate nature, resiliency, and strength of character carried the book. She has an early run in with Veral while he's scavenging and she's running from the gang. She escapes while Veral was captured. He spends some time held by the gang before Terri's moved to risk her own safety to help him (partly thanks to discovering his pup and falling in love with his alien preciousness, but also feeling guilty about what his owner's going through). Veral was grumpy and focused on his mission, which Terri agrees to help with in exchange for transport, yet he respected Terri and softened to her in a slow but amazing way. There are major cultural differences and a special bond that forms between them.
Written in third person, dual POV. No real ow/om drama, though once the H and h save some other women, some show too much interest in H and disgust him. Dual virgins (H’s species of alien only feels desire once they bond with a mate).
I enjoyed all of the little moments between Terri and Veral and esp how his behavior towards her changed as their bond formed. He became so protective of her and of their relationship (his reaction when other women approached him was exactly how I'd want my husband to react btw, full threat display and all). Most of the book follows them as navigate daily life with scavenging and adapting to each other. The steam takes a bit to get to but was well-written and does have some special features, including a prehensile bit of anatomy. I just loved them together and thought they popped off page as their special little unit.
It was scary that Terri and Veral not only had the threat from the gang, but other threats too, including a somewhat vague threat from Veral's home world for bonding without approval. In fact, the plot lines involving these threats were not handled in the best way in my opinion. Some of what happened didn't fully make sense to me when I peered closely at it, esp the ease with which some of the danger was quickly handled after the suspense that built over them. But I appreciated that Terri and Veral put themselves in situations to help others in spite of dangers to themselves.
The ending is HFN with Terri and Veral both safe, in love, and living a good life. I'm fine with where this story ended and satisfied in their romance and leaving the rest up to imagination. My understanding is that the other books in this series continue to follow these characters, but with how gritty this book got, I'm not willing to chance more uncomfortable reading situations for myself. Most of my friends on here tend to lean towards the less-dark alien books, like me, so I don't know whether this is one I'd recommend or not. If you like dark and gritty worlds, with an alieny alien though this might be up your alley!
Trigger warnings:
March 10, 2022
Reread-09-03-2022
Upping my star rating from a 4 to a 5 just on account of how much I still enjoyed this on a second read-through (in fact I think I liked it more this time around) I bloody adored Terri and Veral and they deserve all the stars.
From the instant, I started this one I was highly intrigued.
Genre-wise I would describe this as alien sci-fi crossed with apocalyptic romance with a male character at its centre who is so very far from human. I can't even pronounce his whole name which is so very alien-sounding so thank god he goes by Veral for short. His species is Argurma and Veral roams the outer edges of space doing odd jobs and salvaging from ruined planets his strange space dog Krono his sole companion, I especially adored that cute and affectionate alien-mutt.
Appearance-wise Veral was 7 foot off of scary predator, in fact that is what he reminded me of from that film series and what I do think the author intended as she does put a foot-note at the end of the book explaining. So yeh seriously tall with a strange clicking language he also had cybernetic implants, large mandibles and almost living vibrissae hair tresses that sense and test the environment he inhabits it also shifts with his emotional mood and temperament.
Terri is a woman on a ravaged and apocalyptic earth just trying to survive and stay one step ahead of the Red Reapers. Needing to leave the area for her own protection she hopes to strike a deal with the scary otherworldly Veral hoping he is her ticket out of dodge. Veral is the alien that lands on what he thinks is an uninhabited planet for salvaging prospects and encounters much more than he was expecting.
Both are in for a huge culture shock here. Everything about each other is different including rules, etiquette and courting rituals and even there mating is forbidden.
From the outside, Veral is all cold unemotional cool logic while Terri is his exact opposite in every way. The language used by Veral is of a very formal and literal quality very matter a fact, he is very much the Vulcan to her earthling.
I absolutely adored Veral his loyalty, possessiveness and care for his new mate shone so brightly. While Terri's strength and inner resilience assisted in her basic survival, I also loved that though strong she knew when it was time to just yield. I also found the intimate scenes here to be hot as all hell and so exotically inhuman.
There was also a sense of subtle humour interwoven between Terri and Veral which did make me smile.
All in all, this was a great read that I enjoyed a lot and I will most certainly be checking out other titles from this author in the future. This one is definitely one for the aliens that look like aliens crowd so if that's you then this books gonna be your jam. My hands up, Im happily flying my freak flag here folks.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
June 1, 2022
**5/5 stars**
First read: July 29th, 2021 (Kindle)
Second read: March 6th, 2022 (Audiobook & Kindle)
I can't describe how much fondness I have for this book. I'll admit, the story isn't perfectly perfect but I just find myself enjoying the ride every time.
The story begins with Veral, a scavenger from Argurumal who finds his way to a desolated planet called Earth, in search for material that could earn him credits. On this planet, he finds sentient beings on the brink of extinction trying to survive after what would resemble a sort of apocalypse. He also meets Terri, a brave young woman who's been surviving on her own for a while and who seems to awaken a spark of curiosity in him, confusing his system and making him feel.
Veral comes from an alien species who seeks absolute perfection, so much so that they implemented nano technology in their bodies, regulating their emotions, their mating, and even their memories to optimize their evolution. So you can guess that Veral appeared very cold at first; his understanding of things was very logical, not to say clinical. He was grumpy, irritable and a loner. It was sweet to see him out of his comfort zone when meeting Terri, who was the total opposite of him. I enjoyed the fact that he slowly started to care about her, becoming more gentle and protective but only to her. It was the subtle glances and gestures, the sheer honesty behind his words that made his character so great to me. And to this day, he stays one of my favorite alien heroes.
As for Terri, she was like a sunshine in this apocalypse. She was brave and fierce; qualities that Veral quickly approved of and admired, as well as her kindness. She wasn't perfect, but she was likable. The way she was teasing Veral and coaxing him out of his comfort zone was adorable. I liked that she was altruistic and patient, even with the people she didn't especially like.
Like I said, the plot wasn't perfect but I think this book is worth the detour if not just for the chemistry between Veral and Terri. There are darker aspects to the story, so I would suggest to read the Trigger Warnings down below, as a heads up. I don't want to say too much so I will stop here, but if you like grumpy/sunshine love stories, with a hero who is only gentle to his mate, this book is definitely for you.
I'm just going to add that the narrators for this book did a really great job at grasping the characters' personalities (side characters included). Christopher Boucher as Veral really understood the darkness and coldness of the alien, as well as his broodiness. I also liked his pronunciation of alien words and his growly/gruffy tone of voice, which was how I imagined he would sound like the first time I read this book. As for Terri, Jessica Threet sounded very lively and expressive; a great contrast to Veral's voice.
✔️HEA/HFN
✔️Part of a trilogy
✔️Dual POV
✔️Apocalypse
✔️Age gap
✔️Dual virgins
✔️Protective/Broody/Grumpy H
✔️Strong/Sweet/Sunshine h
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No cheating
✔️Slow burn
🔥 Steam level: 2/5
⚡Content warning
⚡Trigger warning
Overall, I don't care what people say, this is one of the best alien/human romances to me. A book doesn't have to be perfect to be enjoyable. What's important is the emotions it makes you feel as well as how it imprints on your memory. I always find myself gravitating around this story, recalling things about it and yearning to find some time to reread it again.
First read: July 29th, 2021 (Kindle)
Second read: March 6th, 2022 (Audiobook & Kindle)
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
I can't describe how much fondness I have for this book. I'll admit, the story isn't perfectly perfect but I just find myself enjoying the ride every time.
The story begins with Veral, a scavenger from Argurumal who finds his way to a desolated planet called Earth, in search for material that could earn him credits. On this planet, he finds sentient beings on the brink of extinction trying to survive after what would resemble a sort of apocalypse. He also meets Terri, a brave young woman who's been surviving on her own for a while and who seems to awaken a spark of curiosity in him, confusing his system and making him feel.
Veral comes from an alien species who seeks absolute perfection, so much so that they implemented nano technology in their bodies, regulating their emotions, their mating, and even their memories to optimize their evolution. So you can guess that Veral appeared very cold at first; his understanding of things was very logical, not to say clinical. He was grumpy, irritable and a loner. It was sweet to see him out of his comfort zone when meeting Terri, who was the total opposite of him. I enjoyed the fact that he slowly started to care about her, becoming more gentle and protective but only to her. It was the subtle glances and gestures, the sheer honesty behind his words that made his character so great to me. And to this day, he stays one of my favorite alien heroes.
“The word love is one that occurs frequently in the downloads I retrieved from your satellite. There is nothing like it in the Argurma language. My programming would suggest such emotions would be due to malfunctions in my system, but I know that is not true. I find that this love matches close to my feeling for you, though it doesn’t express the depth of my emotion enough. I have never felt for another, anastha, and yet for you, I feel everything.”-Veral
I mean...🥺❤️
As for Terri, she was like a sunshine in this apocalypse. She was brave and fierce; qualities that Veral quickly approved of and admired, as well as her kindness. She wasn't perfect, but she was likable. The way she was teasing Veral and coaxing him out of his comfort zone was adorable. I liked that she was altruistic and patient, even with the people she didn't especially like.
“No male is guaranteed that a female will choose them, and every male desires the best female. If you were Argurma, you would have been courted by hundreds of males. Your nature is strong like ours. Many would have desired to impress you, even if you have a kindness in you that my people would consider a debilitating weakness. Yet, I find even that I like.”-Veral
Like I said, the plot wasn't perfect but I think this book is worth the detour if not just for the chemistry between Veral and Terri. There are darker aspects to the story, so I would suggest to read the Trigger Warnings down below, as a heads up. I don't want to say too much so I will stop here, but if you like grumpy/sunshine love stories, with a hero who is only gentle to his mate, this book is definitely for you.
“What would the Council do?”
“Nothing.” He growled fiercely. “I will prevent it. You are mine!”
“Yours,” she murmured in agreement. “And you’re mine, right?”
His icy eyes gleamed down at her as he dropped his nose to nuzzle her jaw. “Eternally.”
I'm just going to add that the narrators for this book did a really great job at grasping the characters' personalities (side characters included). Christopher Boucher as Veral really understood the darkness and coldness of the alien, as well as his broodiness. I also liked his pronunciation of alien words and his growly/gruffy tone of voice, which was how I imagined he would sound like the first time I read this book. As for Terri, Jessica Threet sounded very lively and expressive; a great contrast to Veral's voice.
✔️HEA/HFN
✔️Part of a trilogy
✔️Dual POV
✔️Apocalypse
✔️Age gap
✔️Dual virgins
✔️Protective/Broody/Grumpy H
✔️Strong/Sweet/Sunshine h
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No cheating
✔️Slow burn
🔥 Steam level: 2/5
⚡Content warning
⚡Trigger warning
Overall, I don't care what people say, this is one of the best alien/human romances to me. A book doesn't have to be perfect to be enjoyable. What's important is the emotions it makes you feel as well as how it imprints on your memory. I always find myself gravitating around this story, recalling things about it and yearning to find some time to reread it again.
Argurma Salvager Trilogy
1. Broken Earth - 2. Pirate's Gold - 3. The Sands of Argurumal
May 7, 2024
3✨
2.5🌶️
With a title like Broken Earth, maybe I should've expected different, but I just didn't expect this story to be so... dark. This is Book 1 of the Argurma Salvager series, a trio of science fiction books featuring a romance between a human woman who has fought to survive against nature and man on a future Earth destroyed by wars and an alien male who's an outcast from his own species by choice and just wants to work as a salvager to earn money.
While the romance is definitely at the forefront of this series start, author S.J. Sanders also introduces the reader to a scary Earth, decimated after numerous wars, where humans have turned on each other and the worst of mankind has come out to play. Some of the scene descriptions were brutal to read about.
The romance itself was fairly sweet, so a nice offset to the raw brutality of the world, but it also felt both underdeveloped and too quick. Once the MCs are reunited shortly into the book, the pace at which their romantic relationship forms is startling quick. Granted this book is under 300 pages, but I would've loved to have seen more buildup, to make the reader truly understand why these characters feel the way they do.
I may continue this series, I may not. If you like your sci fi romances a little on the dark side, not necessarily in terms of the romance itself, which was kind of sweet, but the setting, perhaps give this one a try.
2.5🌶️
With a title like Broken Earth, maybe I should've expected different, but I just didn't expect this story to be so... dark. This is Book 1 of the Argurma Salvager series, a trio of science fiction books featuring a romance between a human woman who has fought to survive against nature and man on a future Earth destroyed by wars and an alien male who's an outcast from his own species by choice and just wants to work as a salvager to earn money.
While the romance is definitely at the forefront of this series start, author S.J. Sanders also introduces the reader to a scary Earth, decimated after numerous wars, where humans have turned on each other and the worst of mankind has come out to play. Some of the scene descriptions were brutal to read about.
The romance itself was fairly sweet, so a nice offset to the raw brutality of the world, but it also felt both underdeveloped and too quick. Once the MCs are reunited shortly into the book, the pace at which their romantic relationship forms is startling quick. Granted this book is under 300 pages, but I would've loved to have seen more buildup, to make the reader truly understand why these characters feel the way they do.
I may continue this series, I may not. If you like your sci fi romances a little on the dark side, not necessarily in terms of the romance itself, which was kind of sweet, but the setting, perhaps give this one a try.
September 3, 2022
Liked the beginning—like a lot.
But the romance went from “sexual attraction” to “marriage” waaayy too fast for my liking.
But what really got my rating down is women hating on other women for like, being “weak”. I get it if there’s one spoiled person yk. But claiming over half the women in the group were weak and spoiled while the few that were “strong” had a more traditionally masc personality and features?? Istg, no.
But the romance went from “sexual attraction” to “marriage” waaayy too fast for my liking.
But what really got my rating down is women hating on other women for like, being “weak”. I get it if there’s one spoiled person yk. But claiming over half the women in the group were weak and spoiled while the few that were “strong” had a more traditionally masc personality and features?? Istg, no.
July 26, 2022
Rating: 5 / 5
Okay, wow. So, this book was wayyyy sweeter and cuter than I thought it'd be. Granted, it had a lot of the elements that I WAS expecting, like
+ badassery
+ a harsh environment
+ tough life of survival
+ scavenging and salvaging
+ tons of action
+ a post-apocalyptic world in which the rules of humanity are changed
...but I seriously underestimated the romance development and cuteness factor for this one. Oh, I knew I'd like it regardless of all else, but I guess I was expecting something more like...say, Zero Repeat Forever which is all about survival with romance on the side, as opposed to something like Lauren's Barbarian where romance is the main point with survival one the side.
I can't say that I'm sorry to be wrong.
_________________________________________
Any, the story centres around Veral, an alien salvager who is the first of his kind to locate Earth. It's a post-apocalyptic Earth which I guess has already been nuked (meaning that humans nuked themselves in World War III or something), and it's many years after the catastrophic event where there are fewer humans around and there's a lot of danger, and basically the only remaining civilizations are terror gangs and travelers scattered around the continent, all except for that "city by the sea" that's thriving.
So...basically, think Book of Eli when you imagine this post-apocalyptic world.
Anyway, Veral lands near what was formerly Phoenix, Arizona, and there he sets about salvaging what he can--mostly scrap metal, spare parts, and some jewels. There, he comes across Terri, a single woman living on the periphery and doing her best to survive until she can leave and head towards the west, to the sea and "that bright city yonder". She and the city are terrorized by a group of cannibalistic, raping murderers known as "The Reapers", who pretty much give women one choice: become their whores or...
Oh, wait, there is no other choice, and it's only by living through her wits that Terri is able to avoid that awful fate.
She comes across Veral and then runs away, after which Veral is captured. But his...dorschal (not sure I'm spelling that right, but anyway, his alien dog) ends up following Terri, and the two form a bond. Figuring that Veral is her best chance of escape, Terri then makes the dangerous decision to try freeing him from the Reapers, and from there the story (and the romance) takes off.
_________________________________________
Like I said, I was NOT expecting the romance element to be so cute and fluffy. Again, in Book of Eli-world, you expect more survival problems than relationships to take precedence, and it honestly wouldn't be disappointing just to focus on Verla and Terri's badassery when it comes to that. Seriously, I wouldn't have minded.
But then, and with only 208 pages to cram this all in, the author decides to even things out a little and focus not just on the world-building and badassery, but also on how to develop a relationship between two beings for whom relationships mean similar and yet totally different things. It was interesting seeing Veral and Terri navigate that, and I also appreciated something that's actually very rare in a lot of romances nowadays:
The two characters just get along with one another.
That's it. No misunderstandings, no liar revealed plot, no borderline-abusive traits, no secrets between them, no "leaving someone behind / pushing them away" for their own good, no jealousies or bullshit love triangles. None of that.
The characters start off a bit uncertain since they're from different worlds and know different rules of living and all that, but they just get along. So, even though their romance progresses quickly enough, because they just have a natural affinity for one another, it's totally believable and therefore doesn't leave the reader room to doubt their relationship.
Now, I'm not saying that this is the type of romance that I'd want to read about 100% of the time (no romance is, tbh), BUT it's definitely the type of romance that I enjoy reading about the most.
I mean, call me a mushy-hippie-pacifist, but...
Ahem, anyway, take that as you will, but I really liked this book and am really glad that I read it. Sometimes it's just the type of book that I need.
I'm interested to see where the story goes as well, so I'll definitely be checking out the sequels to this book, even if they're just novellas or the like. This is an author whose works I'll want to check out some more, in any case.
Okay, wow. So, this book was wayyyy sweeter and cuter than I thought it'd be. Granted, it had a lot of the elements that I WAS expecting, like
+ badassery
+ a harsh environment
+ tough life of survival
+ scavenging and salvaging
+ tons of action
+ a post-apocalyptic world in which the rules of humanity are changed
...but I seriously underestimated the romance development and cuteness factor for this one. Oh, I knew I'd like it regardless of all else, but I guess I was expecting something more like...say, Zero Repeat Forever which is all about survival with romance on the side, as opposed to something like Lauren's Barbarian where romance is the main point with survival one the side.
I can't say that I'm sorry to be wrong.
_________________________________________
Any, the story centres around Veral, an alien salvager who is the first of his kind to locate Earth. It's a post-apocalyptic Earth which I guess has already been nuked (meaning that humans nuked themselves in World War III or something), and it's many years after the catastrophic event where there are fewer humans around and there's a lot of danger, and basically the only remaining civilizations are terror gangs and travelers scattered around the continent, all except for that "city by the sea" that's thriving.
So...basically, think Book of Eli when you imagine this post-apocalyptic world.
Anyway, Veral lands near what was formerly Phoenix, Arizona, and there he sets about salvaging what he can--mostly scrap metal, spare parts, and some jewels. There, he comes across Terri, a single woman living on the periphery and doing her best to survive until she can leave and head towards the west, to the sea and "that bright city yonder". She and the city are terrorized by a group of cannibalistic, raping murderers known as "The Reapers", who pretty much give women one choice: become their whores or...
Oh, wait, there is no other choice, and it's only by living through her wits that Terri is able to avoid that awful fate.
She comes across Veral and then runs away, after which Veral is captured. But his...dorschal (not sure I'm spelling that right, but anyway, his alien dog) ends up following Terri, and the two form a bond. Figuring that Veral is her best chance of escape, Terri then makes the dangerous decision to try freeing him from the Reapers, and from there the story (and the romance) takes off.
_________________________________________
Like I said, I was NOT expecting the romance element to be so cute and fluffy. Again, in Book of Eli-world, you expect more survival problems than relationships to take precedence, and it honestly wouldn't be disappointing just to focus on Verla and Terri's badassery when it comes to that. Seriously, I wouldn't have minded.
But then, and with only 208 pages to cram this all in, the author decides to even things out a little and focus not just on the world-building and badassery, but also on how to develop a relationship between two beings for whom relationships mean similar and yet totally different things. It was interesting seeing Veral and Terri navigate that, and I also appreciated something that's actually very rare in a lot of romances nowadays:
The two characters just get along with one another.
That's it. No misunderstandings, no liar revealed plot, no borderline-abusive traits, no secrets between them, no "leaving someone behind / pushing them away" for their own good, no jealousies or bullshit love triangles. None of that.
The characters start off a bit uncertain since they're from different worlds and know different rules of living and all that, but they just get along. So, even though their romance progresses quickly enough, because they just have a natural affinity for one another, it's totally believable and therefore doesn't leave the reader room to doubt their relationship.
Now, I'm not saying that this is the type of romance that I'd want to read about 100% of the time (no romance is, tbh), BUT it's definitely the type of romance that I enjoy reading about the most.
I mean, call me a mushy-hippie-pacifist, but...
Ahem, anyway, take that as you will, but I really liked this book and am really glad that I read it. Sometimes it's just the type of book that I need.
I'm interested to see where the story goes as well, so I'll definitely be checking out the sequels to this book, even if they're just novellas or the like. This is an author whose works I'll want to check out some more, in any case.
March 1, 2021
It's actually not as bad as I thought. Sure I was excited for a campy trashy read. Imagine my surprised when it was a bit darker than I thought. There's a lot of sexual assaults mentioned here by the way.
I enjoyed the world building and the characters. It didn't bring anything new to the table, nothing shocking here except maybe the alien description and his sexual 'pouch' (that's unique).
All in all, fun read! Going to continue reading the series because I have to know how the three years pregnancy going to be. Plus, as this is my first time reading this author, and happened to like it, I'm excited to know more about this world.
I enjoyed the world building and the characters. It didn't bring anything new to the table, nothing shocking here except maybe the alien description and his sexual 'pouch' (that's unique).
All in all, fun read! Going to continue reading the series because I have to know how the three years pregnancy going to be. Plus, as this is my first time reading this author, and happened to like it, I'm excited to know more about this world.
September 25, 2020
Increíble lectura de ciencia ficción con un mundo distópico!
Broken Earth de SJ Sanders
Serie Argurma Salvager libro 1
Mí humilde opinión:
Veral'monushava'skahalur, Veral, es un ser bio-cibernético altamente evolucionado. Una raza llamada Argurma.
No sirve a nadie. Él se dedicó a establecer su reputación no sólo como un luchador despiadado, sino como un salvador sin igual entre la Federación Intergaláctica.
Buscando chatarra en un planeta moribundo que es conciderada valiosa, un grupo de humanos lo captura.
Pero antes de que pueda escapar por sus propios medios una mujer lo rescata.
Terri vive escondiéndose para sobrevivir. Una banda la está cazando para añadirla a su grupo de mujeres pero ella no lo permitirá.
Cuando conoce a Veral, sabe que el extraterrestre es su única esperanza para salir de ese planeta y escapar de un miserable destino.
Así que hace un trato con él, ayudará a recolectar a cambio de un pasaje a un nuevo asentamiento humano seguro.
Solo que ninguno esperaba un vínculo, uno que está prohibido para Veral.
Pero descubre demasiado tarde que no puede dejar a Terri...
Una historia de Ciencia ficción con fantasía en un mundo post apocalíptico tan imaginativo, genialmente escrito y entretenido que no pude dejar de leer.
Al principio creí no me iba a gustar pero realmente me metí rápido en este mundo desde el primer capítulo con Terri y Veral y disfruté de la aventura en un mundo peligroso pero donde todavía quedaba esperanza para el amor y la vida.
Pero con todo lo que me gustó tuvo sus cosillas...
Hubo partes en que la lectura se volvió lenta como cuando aparece la caravana humana y Terri decide que hay que ayudarlos.
También hubo cosas que me hicieron ruido como cuando están en una situación cerca del peligro y de pronto se ponen a hablar de algo y parece que lo hacen un buen rato, eso le quita emoción a la escena.
Me hubiera gustado que no fuera tan fácil salir indemnes de los ataques, los protagonistas salían bien parados de todo sin casi un rasguño. Lo hace poco creíble.
Regreso a lo que me gustó...
Me encantó Veral, me dije, aquí hay un alien de verdad con todas sus cosas extrañas, una mezcla de Depredador y Cyborg que me resultaron increíbles.
Si totalmente fan del Sci-Fi así que me volvió loca encontrar al fin un alien tan creativo y que funcionaba!
Pero Veral, este Argurma se manejaba con una mente fría, no tenía compasión por nadie a no ser su pareja y no soportaba la cobardía y la deslealtad.
Me encantó su personalidad y cómo es con Terri, tan posesivo y amoroso.
Bueno, traer las cabezas enemigas a Terri me resultó amoroso si venía de parte de él!
El giro dónde él se convierte en héroe cuando al principio era lo contrario fue tan genial de leer.
Solo tengo una cosa que reprochar a Veral... Cómo se le ocurre preguntarle a Terri si prefiere quedarse con uno de su especie cuando ya sabe que ella tiene "el bollo en el horno"? Me desconcertó la duda de él y un poco me desilusionó como héroe.
Terri también me gustó, ella tenía poder de supervivencia y no dejaba de buscar un cambio mejor. Ella es buena y leal, la adoré apenas se hace amiga de Krono.
Disfruté mucho del desarrollo de su relación, comenzó con un acuerdo para ayudarse pero pronto se convirtió en algo más profundo. Respeto, admiración, lujuria y amor. Fue un romance que rodó lento y dulce con final satisfactorio para mí.
Las escenas de sexo, eran salidas de este mundo, obviamente. No me inquietaron sino que fueron sexys en un modo alienígena supongo.
Broken Earth fue una sorprendente aventura.
Primer libro que leo de SJ Sanders y estoy emocionada por leer más de ella.
Este tuvo giros inesperados, acción y un romance conmovedor y distinto.
No puedo esperar a leer más aventuras de Terri y Veral en Pirate's gold.
September 4, 2020
3.75
Who ever thought an alien invading earth during the apocalypse might actually be the best thing to ever happen to you?
Who ever thought an alien invading earth during the apocalypse might actually be the best thing to ever happen to you?
April 16, 2020
Broken Earth is book 1 in the Argurma Salvager series and it was a really enjoyable read from beginning to end. While I love alien books they normally feature blue men, grey men, some with horns or tails, I don't recall ever reading a book where the male looks alien. This author says Veral is a cross between a Dark Elf and Predator (think the movie) and honestly it actually worked for me. So basically Veral makes his money salvaging items from different planets. He lands in what was once Earth and that's when he meets his future mate. Terri was awesome, all she wants to do is escape to the coast where she believes she will have a better future. Where she lives now is run by the Reapers and they are basically a group of disgusting men some mutated who search areas for woman whom they keep. They will rape you if you don't do it willingly and they will eat you. Terri and Veral become unlikely companions. They're relationship wasn't insta which made the romance so much sweeter. I really hope the author continues their story.
November 13, 2021
I'm on an alien romance galore at the moment.
This was pretty fucking cool. 👏🏻👏🏻
The dude reminded me of the creature from Predator and I'm not mad about it. Am I the only one who thought it looked like a badass motherfucker in the movie ? 👀
Yes ? Well...awkward 😳😳
We got plenty of action.
Plenty of an interesting backstory of another species.
Some funny moments as well.
A pretty amazing female lead.
FINALLY. IF I GET ANOTHER DUMB, WHIMPERING HUMAN FEMALE I AM GOING TO THROW HANDS.
All in all I am pretty damn satisfied.
This was pretty fucking cool. 👏🏻👏🏻
The dude reminded me of the creature from Predator and I'm not mad about it. Am I the only one who thought it looked like a badass motherfucker in the movie ? 👀
Yes ? Well...awkward 😳😳
We got plenty of action.
Plenty of an interesting backstory of another species.
Some funny moments as well.
A pretty amazing female lead.
FINALLY. IF I GET ANOTHER DUMB, WHIMPERING HUMAN FEMALE I AM GOING TO THROW HANDS.
All in all I am pretty damn satisfied.
March 22, 2020
It was just ok.
Gorgeous cover and cool setting and world, amazing smut scenes (especially if you enjoy your aliens very alien...everywhere)
But it stops here as we hop from one cliché situation to another throughout the story. The heroine's decision making don't always make sense, especially when living in a post apocalyptic world, and there's a limit to how much you'd want to help strangers.
We see the bad situations coming from a mile away (simply think 'oh, if she goes there alone, something bad is probably going to happen to her' and boom, it happen).
Now, I don't mind cliché damsel in distress situations but not when it's the bad kind of cliché situation, the one that could be avoided (if not for the sake of the plot) and that you've seen so much you can't enjoy anymore.
That being said it's not a bad book at all, it's just me being frustrated that it could have been good or even great but missed it all for the sake of easy and lazy plot
Gorgeous cover and cool setting and world, amazing smut scenes (especially if you enjoy your aliens very alien...everywhere)
But it stops here as we hop from one cliché situation to another throughout the story. The heroine's decision making don't always make sense, especially when living in a post apocalyptic world, and there's a limit to how much you'd want to help strangers.
We see the bad situations coming from a mile away (simply think 'oh, if she goes there alone, something bad is probably going to happen to her' and boom, it happen).
Now, I don't mind cliché damsel in distress situations but not when it's the bad kind of cliché situation, the one that could be avoided (if not for the sake of the plot) and that you've seen so much you can't enjoy anymore.
That being said it's not a bad book at all, it's just me being frustrated that it could have been good or even great but missed it all for the sake of easy and lazy plot
January 2, 2022
An enterprising woman in a post-apocalyptic world makes a deal with an alien. Most of the story is set in the nuclear wasteland of Phoenix. I thought this was going to be cheesy based off the cover art, but it turned out to have a well developed setting and unique characters.
Random aside: I was picturing the alien more like Garrus from Mass Effect, but the authors note mentioned Predator influences. I think I'll stick with the Garrus though.
HEA/HFN
Random aside: I was picturing the alien more like Garrus from Mass Effect, but the authors note mentioned Predator influences. I think I'll stick with the Garrus though.
HEA/HFN
March 8, 2021
uhhhhhhhhhh.......did a lot of skimming.. but ok.
June 20, 2021
This is interesting, he doesn’t want a mate! 😳
But the soulmate calls is too hard to resist and he still ended up with one tiny and fragile looking alien! 😘😂🤣
Another new author for me.
❤️❤️❤️
But the soulmate calls is too hard to resist and he still ended up with one tiny and fragile looking alien! 😘😂🤣
Another new author for me.
❤️❤️❤️
June 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this!
We've got a freaky-looking alien cyborg man, a lovable, feisty heroine who has seen some shit, an apocalyptic Earth world, a loyal pet alien dog, and a some steamy, freaky alien love scenes.
So, basically, everything I could ask for in a sci-fi romance!
We've got a freaky-looking alien cyborg man, a lovable, feisty heroine who has seen some shit, an apocalyptic Earth world, a loyal pet alien dog, and a some steamy, freaky alien love scenes.
So, basically, everything I could ask for in a sci-fi romance!
October 19, 2022
2 stars, but really 1. I gave it 2 because I did actually finish it after skimming through the last half. I also just needed something to pick up when I couldn't sleep at night.
There was a fun idea here that has been done by better authors, which feels really harsh to say, but I don't think I'm wrong after devouring many (probably too many? Lol) sci-fi/alien romance books this year. In fact, I think after this one it's time for me to read some different genres because I'm starting to get overly jaded.
The writing is rough. Like Michigan side street rough.
Every other character besides the mcs and the alien dog are just awful and boring.
There was SO MUCH weirdly placed woman hating in it. Even FMC hating on other female characters. EVERYONE hates women in this book, including the author. But FMC is different and resilient and special.
MMC is okay.
The sexy times are fine, I guess.
Some really messed up stuff happens, pretty much off page but the awful stuff seems to just be there as set dressing, reminding us that this is in fact Fallout style post apocalyptic. There's very little weight to any of it, and it's treated with very little compassion.
There was a fun idea here that has been done by better authors, which feels really harsh to say, but I don't think I'm wrong after devouring many (probably too many? Lol) sci-fi/alien romance books this year. In fact, I think after this one it's time for me to read some different genres because I'm starting to get overly jaded.
The writing is rough. Like Michigan side street rough.
Every other character besides the mcs and the alien dog are just awful and boring.
There was SO MUCH weirdly placed woman hating in it. Even FMC hating on other female characters. EVERYONE hates women in this book, including the author. But FMC is different and resilient and special.
MMC is okay.
The sexy times are fine, I guess.
Some really messed up stuff happens, pretty much off page but the awful stuff seems to just be there as set dressing, reminding us that this is in fact Fallout style post apocalyptic. There's very little weight to any of it, and it's treated with very little compassion.
July 2, 2020
3.45 Stars
This book is for all the Sci-fi lovers that want their aliens to be alien. Veral is a loner that has left his people to travel alone with his alien dog (Krono) taking odd mercenary jobs and salvaging. He visits Earth and runs into Teri, another loner (human) trying to survive. This is a slow burn mating, and not the “spank the human into submission” variety. Page time is devoted to “humanizing” both MC’s and they are both strong, and very likeable.
The author said if received well, she plans to expand their story, but it can be read as is, now. It leaves enough that it could be added on, but not a cliffhanger. Veral is somewhat influenced by the “Predator” aliens, and he has an usual penis not to mention it “rests” in what I pictured as a kangaroo pouch, so it was a bit tough for me to wrap my head around the romantic /kissing/sexytime aspect, but he does make up for it in personality.
Bottom Line- It’s well written, creative/unique, and very true to SF, so fans should be pleased. I didn’t inhale it, but it kept my interest and didn’t skim.
This book is for all the Sci-fi lovers that want their aliens to be alien. Veral is a loner that has left his people to travel alone with his alien dog (Krono) taking odd mercenary jobs and salvaging. He visits Earth and runs into Teri, another loner (human) trying to survive. This is a slow burn mating, and not the “spank the human into submission” variety. Page time is devoted to “humanizing” both MC’s and they are both strong, and very likeable.
The author said if received well, she plans to expand their story, but it can be read as is, now. It leaves enough that it could be added on, but not a cliffhanger. Veral is somewhat influenced by the “Predator” aliens, and he has an usual penis not to mention it “rests” in what I pictured as a kangaroo pouch, so it was a bit tough for me to wrap my head around the romantic /kissing/sexytime aspect, but he does make up for it in personality.
Bottom Line- It’s well written, creative/unique, and very true to SF, so fans should be pleased. I didn’t inhale it, but it kept my interest and didn’t skim.
June 4, 2023
4,75✨ “His heart belonged to her. Every affection and devotion was hers. Terri made him feel and made him remember glimpses of buried memories and sensations from long ago. There would never be a Veral without Terri by his side. He loved her."
what can i say? i’m a sucker for heroes who don’t believe in love but then give to their mates the head of their enemies as a trophy 😎👍🏽
this was fucking perfect. forget about blue aliens… give me plot and world construction! i’m not giving 5 stars cause i had some problems with understanding the writing. i don’t know if it’s the author or if i’m just dumb since english is not my first language.
anyway so so good. their romance 😭 their pet 😭 the way he couldn’t control how he felt when near her 😭 i love this type of first book which basically the characters are alone in their own world you know?
now the adventure begins. (or should i say continues?)
i’ll definitely keep reading!
what can i say? i’m a sucker for heroes who don’t believe in love but then give to their mates the head of their enemies as a trophy 😎👍🏽
this was fucking perfect. forget about blue aliens… give me plot and world construction! i’m not giving 5 stars cause i had some problems with understanding the writing. i don’t know if it’s the author or if i’m just dumb since english is not my first language.
anyway so so good. their romance 😭 their pet 😭 the way he couldn’t control how he felt when near her 😭 i love this type of first book which basically the characters are alone in their own world you know?
now the adventure begins. (or should i say continues?)
i’ll definitely keep reading!
May 26, 2021
This was a great mixture of post apocalyptic survival and sci fi alien romance. It was a lot of fun to read and I hope there are more in this series.
Read if you like your aliens to look like the Predator!
Read if you like your aliens to look like the Predator!
April 17, 2020
This one started strong for me but ended up being disappointing. The first 30-40% I read greedily but once the two main characters hooked up it felt like the author didn't really know what to do with the story at that point and the plot kinda meandered. The last half was basically just set up for the next books in the series. I don't mind an author introducing characters who will have their own book but when the plot takes us places just to wedge all that in I find it frustrating. I felt like the book would have been much better if the romance was more of a slower burn. By halfway through our two leads were calling each other mate, making googly-eyes at each other constantly, humiliating the obligatory catty female toss in characters with how strong their bond was. And of course we learn at this point how this alien species isn't even biologically able to be attracted to any other female once mated. *insert eyeroll here*
I guess am being hard on this because I had such high hopes. I love sci-fi romance. I love strange-love couples. I love post-apocalyptic. And I love darker, gritty romance stories. I thought I had this here and it started out great but fizzled very quickly. The author had no subtly at all, and the relationship lacked tension and emotional punch once the two leads did the deed. This author had all the ingredients! She had a scary predator-like alien lead, but he became that cliche alpha hero that turns into a lap-dog. She had an alien with a star ship, but they didn't leave planet until the epilogue. She had a strong female lead who survived on her own for y ears, but she became an overprotected, pouty-lipped damsel in distress soon as she mated with the male lead. The sex was even pretty standard vanilla for an alien with strange male parts, two tongues, tentacles around it's head, and biological circuitry.
I have given up on this series but have heard the author's other stuff is good so I haven't given up on the author just yet. I may check out some of their other titles to see if there is anything interesting in there, as long as it's part of my kindle unlimited subscription that is.
I guess am being hard on this because I had such high hopes. I love sci-fi romance. I love strange-love couples. I love post-apocalyptic. And I love darker, gritty romance stories. I thought I had this here and it started out great but fizzled very quickly. The author had no subtly at all, and the relationship lacked tension and emotional punch once the two leads did the deed. This author had all the ingredients! She had a scary predator-like alien lead, but he became that cliche alpha hero that turns into a lap-dog. She had an alien with a star ship, but they didn't leave planet until the epilogue. She had a strong female lead who survived on her own for y ears, but she became an overprotected, pouty-lipped damsel in distress soon as she mated with the male lead. The sex was even pretty standard vanilla for an alien with strange male parts, two tongues, tentacles around it's head, and biological circuitry.
I have given up on this series but have heard the author's other stuff is good so I haven't given up on the author just yet. I may check out some of their other titles to see if there is anything interesting in there, as long as it's part of my kindle unlimited subscription that is.
March 10, 2020
Interesting take on a dystopian Earth being visited by an alien and finding love.
I am overly fond of Predator-esque aliens. This one pushes all the right buttons!!
I am overly fond of Predator-esque aliens. This one pushes all the right buttons!!
April 17, 2020
This story was surprisingly good.
March 7, 2023
I loved the heck out of this book. The heck.
If you loved the movie Prey that came out last year… for a VERY specific reason. You might like this.
I’m not big on series involving a single couple but I am absolutely GIDDY for more of these two!!
If you loved the movie Prey that came out last year… for a VERY specific reason. You might like this.
I’m not big on series involving a single couple but I am absolutely GIDDY for more of these two!!
May 5, 2021
I love non-humanoid alien romances and this one does not disappoint.
Both Veral and Terri are simply surviving, not really living until they find each other.
It's super sweet as we get to see Veral's softer side, and I melted a little.
Already started the next book
Both Veral and Terri are simply surviving, not really living until they find each other.
It's super sweet as we get to see Veral's softer side, and I melted a little.
Already started the next book
March 10, 2020
This is a fine read, and a rare favorite of 2020.
SJ shines brightest when she's writing dystopian tales. Something about the horror element and its gruesomeness seems to bring out the best in her. Broken Earth has a lot going on. Earth—humanity, anyway—is on our way out. Multiple nuclear wars, infertility/still births, madness, mutations, cannibalism...have all exacerbated the problem. It's a bad, bad world out there, especially for a woman, but there's rumor of a shining sanctuary city on the west coast. If one can only survive long enough to seek it out and find out if it's real.
Terri is a woman alone, and she's made a horrible mistake: she hung around in Phoenix long after she should have left, and now things aren't looking so good for her. She's being hunted by the Red Reapers, the gang who has seized control of the crumbling city and are suspiciously a lot like these guys:
with some:
thrown in.
And she has to keep dodging them while she gathers nasty canned food to attempt the trek through the desert to the coast. Alone, because everyone else with sense left a long time ago while she stubbornly stayed. One day something unexpected comes crashing into her hidey-hole, and her life changes in terrifying and wonderful ways. She's made a deal with a massive alien for safe passage to the sanctuary city, but is that what she really wants?
Veral’monushava’skahalur is an odd-ball loner and took a gamble with his expensive fuel reserves to find valuable salvage in the outer reaches of space, where even space pirates do not go. He's found a blue and green gem of a planet, one that seems to lack any current sentient life but has plenty of metals and goods of value waiting to be snapped up from the previous inhabitants. He soon finds this isn't entirely true; there is definitely some life left, but it's easy to see they're on their last legs. While searching through residential domiciles, he happens upon a yellow haired creature who while frightened, earns a small amount of respect from him and before too long they are begrudging companions. He doesn't really need her help for his mission, but she has merits and he doesn't completely despise her company. Veral is older and unmated for Reasons, so a bond that rears its head is too far gone before he recognizes it for what it is, tying him and Terri together irrevocably, but is she interested in pursuing it as well? But more importantly, are either of them ready for the consequences that will play out when word quickly gets back to homeworld?
Ah, the complications of being a cybernetically enhanced species.
BE is full of humor, cultural differences, a slower and satisfying romance, and peril—with a sizable amount of gore thrown in. This book is hard on the stomach because...yeah, that whole cannibalism and madness/violent men thing? There's a lot in this book that will make the bile rise and your heart pound as you try to escape the story and where it leads. If you were a Firefly fan, and you remember what the Reavers were known for...well, you have a good idea of what's here. They'll rape, murder, and eat you—not necessarily in that order. And they're not the only threats in this broken world.
SJ has already stated there will be more stories ahead for Veral and Terri, and I am super excited to read them. I also hope a couple of her friends get their own HEAs and adventures to go on. This is a really fun and engaging start to what could be an excellent series with enough interest. It's currently available on KU for 90 days, so check it out and give it some love!
SJ shines brightest when she's writing dystopian tales. Something about the horror element and its gruesomeness seems to bring out the best in her. Broken Earth has a lot going on. Earth—humanity, anyway—is on our way out. Multiple nuclear wars, infertility/still births, madness, mutations, cannibalism...have all exacerbated the problem. It's a bad, bad world out there, especially for a woman, but there's rumor of a shining sanctuary city on the west coast. If one can only survive long enough to seek it out and find out if it's real.
Terri is a woman alone, and she's made a horrible mistake: she hung around in Phoenix long after she should have left, and now things aren't looking so good for her. She's being hunted by the Red Reapers, the gang who has seized control of the crumbling city and are suspiciously a lot like these guys:
with some:
thrown in.
And she has to keep dodging them while she gathers nasty canned food to attempt the trek through the desert to the coast. Alone, because everyone else with sense left a long time ago while she stubbornly stayed. One day something unexpected comes crashing into her hidey-hole, and her life changes in terrifying and wonderful ways. She's made a deal with a massive alien for safe passage to the sanctuary city, but is that what she really wants?
Veral’monushava’skahalur is an odd-ball loner and took a gamble with his expensive fuel reserves to find valuable salvage in the outer reaches of space, where even space pirates do not go. He's found a blue and green gem of a planet, one that seems to lack any current sentient life but has plenty of metals and goods of value waiting to be snapped up from the previous inhabitants. He soon finds this isn't entirely true; there is definitely some life left, but it's easy to see they're on their last legs. While searching through residential domiciles, he happens upon a yellow haired creature who while frightened, earns a small amount of respect from him and before too long they are begrudging companions. He doesn't really need her help for his mission, but she has merits and he doesn't completely despise her company. Veral is older and unmated for Reasons, so a bond that rears its head is too far gone before he recognizes it for what it is, tying him and Terri together irrevocably, but is she interested in pursuing it as well? But more importantly, are either of them ready for the consequences that will play out when word quickly gets back to homeworld?
Ah, the complications of being a cybernetically enhanced species.
BE is full of humor, cultural differences, a slower and satisfying romance, and peril—with a sizable amount of gore thrown in. This book is hard on the stomach because...yeah, that whole cannibalism and madness/violent men thing? There's a lot in this book that will make the bile rise and your heart pound as you try to escape the story and where it leads. If you were a Firefly fan, and you remember what the Reavers were known for...well, you have a good idea of what's here. They'll rape, murder, and eat you—not necessarily in that order. And they're not the only threats in this broken world.
SJ has already stated there will be more stories ahead for Veral and Terri, and I am super excited to read them. I also hope a couple of her friends get their own HEAs and adventures to go on. This is a really fun and engaging start to what could be an excellent series with enough interest. It's currently available on KU for 90 days, so check it out and give it some love!
Want to read
September 15, 2021one of the character's names: Veral’monushava’skahalur
me: gesundheit
me: gesundheit
October 30, 2022
Really enjoyed this sci fi romance. Post apocalyptic world, where a woman's survival is pretty tough.
Veral is an alien/cyborg male that comes to salvage from earth. He is cold and lacks any feelings until he meets a small human woman. Even so their relationship is a slow burn. It takes a while for Veral to change his feelings from tolerance to sexual. Terri is resilient and smart, really Loved her character.
Loved his pet so much😅
Veral is an alien/cyborg male that comes to salvage from earth. He is cold and lacks any feelings until he meets a small human woman. Even so their relationship is a slow burn. It takes a while for Veral to change his feelings from tolerance to sexual. Terri is resilient and smart, really Loved her character.
Loved his pet so much😅
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