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The Spider's Mate #1
Ensnared
He’s spent years as a hunter, but now he’s the one ensnared in a creature’s trap.
Ketahn did not want a mate. Fate has a different plan for him. When the queen he despises declares her intention to claim him, he retreats into the jungle.
What he finds there changes his world.
Small, delicate, and pale skinned, Ivy Foster is nothing like the females Ketahn has known. She’s not of his kind at all. Yet the moment he sees her, he knows the truth in his soul—she is his heartsthread.
And now that he has her, he won’t let anything take her away. Not the jungle, not the gods, not the queen.
Whether Ivy agrees or not, their webs are entangled. No one will ever sever those threads.
----
Book 1 of 3 in The Spider's Mate Trilogy.
Ketahn did not want a mate. Fate has a different plan for him. When the queen he despises declares her intention to claim him, he retreats into the jungle.
What he finds there changes his world.
Small, delicate, and pale skinned, Ivy Foster is nothing like the females Ketahn has known. She’s not of his kind at all. Yet the moment he sees her, he knows the truth in his soul—she is his heartsthread.
And now that he has her, he won’t let anything take her away. Not the jungle, not the gods, not the queen.
Whether Ivy agrees or not, their webs are entangled. No one will ever sever those threads.
----
Book 1 of 3 in The Spider's Mate Trilogy.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2021
4026 people are currently reading
20253 people want to read
About the author
Tiffany Roberts
54 books5,217 followersTiffany Roberts is the pseudonym for Tiffany and Robert Freund, a husband and wife writing duo. Tiffany was born and bred in Idaho, and Robert was a native of New York City before moving across the country to be with her. The two have always shared a passion for reading and writing, and it was their dream to combine their mighty powers to create the sorts of books they want to read. They write character driven sci-fi and fantasy romance, creating happily-ever-afters for the alien and unknown.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,815 reviews
August 30, 2021
Well, that was something. I have truly never been further from gods light
February 26, 2024
« It would be like mating an animal » said the alien-spider about the human 😂
I will start off by saying that I am terrified of spiders. So terrified that when I used to play animal crossing (which is a very cozy game BTW) - I wouldn’t play past 7pm because of the spiders. And here I am, reading an alien-spider romance. Do I need help?
« I would rather speak to rocks and trees than endure the queen’s company » I do feel that way about many humans, so that was very relatable
Ketahn & Ivy are AMAZING characters. I loved them both so much! I’ll definitely be reading the rest of this series. So many plots in that book! I was pleasantly surprised.
« It is not lazy to rest »
« What can I do to help?
- be you »
Thank you @DIVINITY for that rec 🥹 I devoured this book!!!!🤭
Pre read ; My current read is a bit overwhelming right now so let’s dive into a monster romance 🫡
My gorgeous @DIVINITY recommended this book to me 🤭🫶🏼
I will start off by saying that I am terrified of spiders. So terrified that when I used to play animal crossing (which is a very cozy game BTW) - I wouldn’t play past 7pm because of the spiders. And here I am, reading an alien-spider romance. Do I need help?
« I would rather speak to rocks and trees than endure the queen’s company » I do feel that way about many humans, so that was very relatable
Ketahn & Ivy are AMAZING characters. I loved them both so much! I’ll definitely be reading the rest of this series. So many plots in that book! I was pleasantly surprised.
« It is not lazy to rest »
« What can I do to help?
- be you »
Thank you @DIVINITY for that rec 🥹 I devoured this book!!!!🤭
Pre read ; My current read is a bit overwhelming right now so let’s dive into a monster romance 🫡
My gorgeous @DIVINITY recommended this book to me 🤭🫶🏼
June 3, 2022
ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ: ᴊᴜɴᴇ ~ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ.❷➄
ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅ: ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ~ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ.❺
not me, back here six months later, somewhat convinced that spiders are attractive … pray for my soul you guys ✋🙈
•
•
•
•
[☟ ᴏʀɢ. ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ☟]
ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ⋆➋➎ - ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀꜱ ʙᴇ ꜱᴇxʏ - ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ 🕷
i mean ... tiffany roberts attempted to make spiders ~attractive~
ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅ: ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ~ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ.❺
not me, back here six months later, somewhat convinced that spiders are attractive … pray for my soul you guys ✋🙈
❝We are bound by a strong thread, Ivy.❞
•
•
•
•
[☟ ᴏʀɢ. ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ☟]
ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ⋆➋➎ - ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀꜱ ʙᴇ ꜱᴇxʏ - ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ 🕷
i mean ... tiffany roberts attempted to make spiders ~attractive~
👏✨😤 what a goal 👏✨😤
February 25, 2024
*4.5* If I ever end up on an alien planet, I want Ketahn to be my world guide. He has integrity, compassion, is fiercely protective, tender and loving, and he'd make sure that you survived while also making you beautiful clothing. Not to mention the fact that he has four hands and eight eyes, all the better to hold you and stare deep into your soul with.
The world building and alien words were richly written and at the beginning I felt slightly bogged down with all the info. However, I was thankful for this world building once the story took off as customs, language, and relationships started to make sense. This story contains some of my favorite tropes. Language barriers, human/alien interactions, forced survival proximity, and that initial grossed out, unattraction between the two main characters.
What makes this story shine in an ocean of cheesy monster and alien romances, is the writing. The beautiful depth of character backstory, and the genuine emotions they both express. This story has so much heart. Ivy is a wonderful h, strong and brave. Her reaction to the planet and its creatures wasn’t overly scream-y, and felt realistic to how someone would react if in that same situation. Highly recommended for fans of light sci-fi romance, and interspecies bonding.
Thanks to Twinkle for buddy reading this one with me. I had so much fun chatting with you, and my stomach still hurts from all that laughing!!
Also, Lolina’s review and original spider artwork is to blame for me picking this series up! :)
Yes, it does end on a cliffhanger, but that just means I get to read two more books about this adorable couple.
There was fire in his eyes. Deep, meaningful, and powerful, it spoke of a passion that transcended appearance, language, and culture, of a connection that people only dreamt of finding on this world or any other.From the husband and wife writing duo that created one of my favorite cyborg sci-fi romances, Dustwalker these two write love stories with sea creatures, dragons, space aliens, and now, a spider man, *ahem*, I mean a Vrix.
The world building and alien words were richly written and at the beginning I felt slightly bogged down with all the info. However, I was thankful for this world building once the story took off as customs, language, and relationships started to make sense. This story contains some of my favorite tropes. Language barriers, human/alien interactions, forced survival proximity, and that initial grossed out, unattraction between the two main characters.
What makes this story shine in an ocean of cheesy monster and alien romances, is the writing. The beautiful depth of character backstory, and the genuine emotions they both express. This story has so much heart. Ivy is a wonderful h, strong and brave. Her reaction to the planet and its creatures wasn’t overly scream-y, and felt realistic to how someone would react if in that same situation. Highly recommended for fans of light sci-fi romance, and interspecies bonding.
Thanks to Twinkle for buddy reading this one with me. I had so much fun chatting with you, and my stomach still hurts from all that laughing!!
Also, Lolina’s review and original spider artwork is to blame for me picking this series up! :)
Yes, it does end on a cliffhanger, but that just means I get to read two more books about this adorable couple.
March 21, 2023
Reading this again had me cackling bc of how much I thirsted over this spider (sorry vrix) the first time around 💀💀.
Who am I kidding I still am 🏃♀️🏃♀️.
Anyways this was still as good as I remember. The romance was still weirdly endearing and sweet as before and overall this was just a well-rounded story 💀😭 (and let's not forget abt the smut 👽🤞).
-=-
Yeah, you better look the other way 😶.
I honestly had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on in the book- but it was definitely an experience...
In case anyone was wondering what I was visualizing whilst reading- I drew some diagrams:
I have to say, I'm leaning more towards option 3. And I know we have the cover to look at, and got a description of the dude- but I just feel like mine hits different.
Can someone please take my Goodreads account away from me. No one's safe at this point.
All my Brain took away from this was: talking hairy spider x human lover = furry??
No, but I actually have no clue what just happened, but I'm kind of scared ngl 😶. Spiders were punching each other and like chomping? AND PLEASE HOW DID THEY KISS WITH HIS BIG ASS MANTELS, HUH? AND I STILL DON'T GET HOW THEY HAD-
And the cover is just sending me, Tiffany Roberts knew what they were doing, and I just couldn't help myself.
Ok, but hear me out, my man Ketahn was just 😩😩... I mean listen, I didn't expect to like the dude, he's a spider- but there was just something about him and his mantles that I couldn't resist 😶- I DONT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
Will I be reading the next one? Maybe. Yes, yes I will- don't question it- I'll figure out the plot at some point.
Anyways this was still as good as I remember. The romance was still weirdly endearing and sweet as before and overall this was just a well-rounded story 💀😭 (and let's not forget abt the smut 👽🤞).
-=-
Yeah, you better look the other way 😶.
I honestly had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on in the book- but it was definitely an experience...
In case anyone was wondering what I was visualizing whilst reading- I drew some diagrams:
I have to say, I'm leaning more towards option 3. And I know we have the cover to look at, and got a description of the dude- but I just feel like mine hits different.
Can someone please take my Goodreads account away from me. No one's safe at this point.
All my Brain took away from this was: talking hairy spider x human lover = furry??
No, but I actually have no clue what just happened, but I'm kind of scared ngl 😶. Spiders were punching each other and like chomping? AND PLEASE HOW DID THEY KISS WITH HIS BIG ASS MANTELS, HUH? AND I STILL DON'T GET HOW THEY HAD-
And the cover is just sending me, Tiffany Roberts knew what they were doing, and I just couldn't help myself.
Ok, but hear me out, my man Ketahn was just 😩😩... I mean listen, I didn't expect to like the dude, he's a spider- but there was just something about him and his mantles that I couldn't resist 😶- I DONT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
Will I be reading the next one? Maybe. Yes, yes I will- don't question it- I'll figure out the plot at some point.
November 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this it was imaginative with some excellent world-building. It did take me a short time to get invested mostly due to all of the unusual complicated names included but once I found my flow it was absolute magic and ever so unusual. So before I go any further just a heads up the Alien hero in this story is a sort of giant spider type with numerous appendages web-spinning capabilities and mandibles which is sort of the reason I picked this one up.
Ketahn our hero lives out in the tangle away from his people. He’s built his nest way out in the forest away from his own kind and only returns to take his offerings and supply his mandated hunters meat portion. He hates their Queen who is obsessed with claiming him as her mate and wants nothing to do with life in his old home. Ever since the war, he’s kept to himself. Venturing to a place other hunters avoid Ketahn falls into a pit and discovers a strange metal ruin with old unfamiliar bones.
He also finds a bizarre creature that he’s never glimpsed before suspended in a death-like sleep. Accidentally triggering the cryogenic chamber Ivy awakes to a strange new world one she could never have imagined.
When Ivy signed up to be a colonist on a new world she never imagined the ship would crash now awake it seems like only yesterday she departed Earth for far horizons. Naturally frightened and with a scary-looking alien spider, the only thing standing between her and death Ivy will have to put herself in this aliens care if she has any hope of surviving her harsh new reality.
There was an initial language barrier they did learn each other’s language relatively swiftly but hey ho this is fiction so that didn’t bother me too much I was able to suspend my disbelief here.There’s also danger in the form of the dangerous landscape and also Ketahn’s own people pose a risk especially the queen herself and the females of his species are even bigger and scarier looking than the males.
This one was very slow burn but with lots of chemistry and tension and when we finally got there it was intense and super hot. I adored that claiming scene. Both Ivy and Ketahn both have to overcome their natural instincts that tell them that to want each other is wrong even when it feels so right.
This was really well written and this is book one of a trilogy and though there is still more to come and I’m excited to see how this progresses It also didn’t leave you hanging either. I was satisfied with where we left things and I’m content to wait for the next instalment which I definitely will be reading.
This ones for all you folks that like your aliens to look like aliens and this hero is definitely one of those he’s also a complete sweetheart.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
September 26, 2022
4 ⭐️
3 🌶️
hear me out… this was actually good.
I went in expecting smut but I was very wrong. There are a couple of spicy scenes that start 82ish% in, so it was a slow burn. But, it was definitely more plot driven than anything and it was very interesting.
do I like spiders now? No. I like Ketahn, sure. But I’m still very much scared of spiders.
rtc later because I read all day and now I have to catch up on my school work😭 how do I even explain this, “sorry I forgot about my homework because I was reading spider romance” 💀😭
3 🌶️
hear me out… this was actually good.
I went in expecting smut but I was very wrong. There are a couple of spicy scenes that start 82ish% in, so it was a slow burn. But, it was definitely more plot driven than anything and it was very interesting.
do I like spiders now? No. I like Ketahn, sure. But I’m still very much scared of spiders.
rtc later because I read all day and now I have to catch up on my school work😭 how do I even explain this, “sorry I forgot about my homework because I was reading spider romance” 💀😭
October 16, 2023
LISTEN
If this had been in the adult SFF section of the bookstore—with a less erotic-looking romance cover—I would have picked it up. It has a romance plot, yeah, but it’s also absurdly detailed with a fully fleshed out world and political structure and the plot is gripping as heck. I was invested in the royal politics, ok.
I wasn’t going to put this on my Goodreads because….spider romance…. But y’all will just have to deal because it was actually extremely well done, it deserves its 4 stars, it’s well written, and frankly I debated labeling it a favorite. (Am I going insane??)
I had way too good of a time.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
If this had been in the adult SFF section of the bookstore—with a less erotic-looking romance cover—I would have picked it up. It has a romance plot, yeah, but it’s also absurdly detailed with a fully fleshed out world and political structure and the plot is gripping as heck. I was invested in the royal politics, ok.
I wasn’t going to put this on my Goodreads because….spider romance…. But y’all will just have to deal because it was actually extremely well done, it deserves its 4 stars, it’s well written, and frankly I debated labeling it a favorite. (Am I going insane??)
I had way too good of a time.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
January 18, 2025
¿fue entretenido? sí, hasta me atrevería a decir que fue romántico.
obviamente hubieron varios errores, en especial porque repiten ciertas cosas que ya habían quedado claras como el pasado de ivy, la humana. siento que cuando se trata de ivy, siempre cuentan mucho y muestran poco.
el smut, a pesar de que fue solo una escena casi al final del libro, me pareció muy mediocre y cliché. ketanh (la araña) fue bastante agradable y encantadora durante todo el libro, pero poco a poco desciende a la locura después de tener coito con la prota jajajaja. sí sentí un poco de cambio en su personalidad y eso ya no me gustó tanto.
hubiese sido interesante que explotaran más sobre la sociedad de arañas, pero bueno.
hubo escenas incómodas, pero eso ya me lo esperaba.
pronto reseña 🔥
obviamente hubieron varios errores, en especial porque repiten ciertas cosas que ya habían quedado claras como el pasado de ivy, la humana. siento que cuando se trata de ivy, siempre cuentan mucho y muestran poco.
el smut, a pesar de que fue solo una escena casi al final del libro, me pareció muy mediocre y cliché. ketanh (la araña) fue bastante agradable y encantadora durante todo el libro, pero poco a poco desciende a la locura después de tener coito con la prota jajajaja. sí sentí un poco de cambio en su personalidad y eso ya no me gustó tanto.
hubiese sido interesante que explotaran más sobre la sociedad de arañas, pero bueno.
hubo escenas incómodas, pero eso ya me lo esperaba.
pronto reseña 🔥
July 12, 2025
Ayyy! donde está mi alien araña hot de 2 metros para que me quite la aracnofobia.
June 10, 2021
3.5 stars! I.... never thought I’d read about a spider alien romance. And it didn’t weird me out! 😂 I genuinely enjoyed the slow burn romance between our human heroine and alien hero but I sadly wasn’t invested in the outside plot regarding alien queen, which took up a good chunk of the book. This is the first in a trilogy that follows the same couple and I’ll probably continue reading, but after the series is complete.
October 2, 2022
4.5 ⭐🐧❤️
Leave it to an author's writing prowess, raw talent, and imagination to churn out a story that turns ME, one who is terrified of spiders and all insects, one who had NEVER EVER thought a day would come when I would read a LOVE STORY with a MAN-SPIDER as the main love interest I mean what is this life?!?!?! It's awesome 🤷🤸🖖💕
Ketahn is obviously a wonderful, tender MMC with tremendous heart in everything he does for Ivy. I also adore Ivy, the FMC, she's mad amazing for surviving literally everything.
This is more of a fantasy-romance with world building, politics, and good writing than just a tinge of fantasy with a whole lot of smut. There is a lot of interactive slow burn, with some medium burn sprinkled in places for a second here and there due to Ketahn's curiosity. Smut is actually minimal but SCORCHING, probably 2 scenes after the 80% mark if I'm not wrong. But don't let that deter you. 🍆 If you're into fantasy, chances are you'll really enjoy this. If you're only here for the smut, you'll find it difficult to trudge through most of the book.
There were 2 things I didn't like about Ketahn - he could have ASKED Ivy how humans did the nasty, there was some stuff that was unrealistic and frankly pretty painful seeming, I recoiled in a place or two there. My man, just fucking ask. And the second thing is something I cannot say because it will be a spoiler daaammmnn itttt but it has to do with something that Ivy wants and even though I understand Ketahn's reasoning which is very practical and realistic it's still mean. I understand but I also can't help but feel bad. Are you confused? Well.. 🤷
‼️Now for TWs:
Please be aware that there is physical assault that's sort of sexual in nature that Ketahn faces on page in present day. There is also rape that Ivy faces, on page, from her past. There are also instances of emotional abuse, parental neglect, parental abandonment on page and from her past.
Leave it to an author's writing prowess, raw talent, and imagination to churn out a story that turns ME, one who is terrified of spiders and all insects, one who had NEVER EVER thought a day would come when I would read a LOVE STORY with a MAN-SPIDER as the main love interest I mean what is this life?!?!?! It's awesome 🤷🤸🖖💕
Ketahn is obviously a wonderful, tender MMC with tremendous heart in everything he does for Ivy. I also adore Ivy, the FMC, she's mad amazing for surviving literally everything.
This is more of a fantasy-romance with world building, politics, and good writing than just a tinge of fantasy with a whole lot of smut. There is a lot of interactive slow burn, with some medium burn sprinkled in places for a second here and there due to Ketahn's curiosity. Smut is actually minimal but SCORCHING, probably 2 scenes after the 80% mark if I'm not wrong. But don't let that deter you. 🍆 If you're into fantasy, chances are you'll really enjoy this. If you're only here for the smut, you'll find it difficult to trudge through most of the book.
There were 2 things I didn't like about Ketahn - he could have ASKED Ivy how humans did the nasty, there was some stuff that was unrealistic and frankly pretty painful seeming, I recoiled in a place or two there. My man, just fucking ask. And the second thing is something I cannot say because it will be a spoiler daaammmnn itttt but it has to do with something that Ivy wants and even though I understand Ketahn's reasoning which is very practical and realistic it's still mean. I understand but I also can't help but feel bad. Are you confused? Well.. 🤷
‼️Now for TWs:
Please be aware that there is physical assault that's sort of sexual in nature that Ketahn faces on page in present day. There is also rape that Ivy faces, on page, from her past. There are also instances of emotional abuse, parental neglect, parental abandonment on page and from her past.
March 27, 2024
Interesting alien romance story!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🙁☺️😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The Hero: Ketahn - he was son to the queen before she died years ago. He not only lost his mother, but his sire and eight of his nine brothers and sisters. These days he spends above ground in the tangle and hasn’t been home for seven years. But this year he came home for offering day, making his offering to the eight. He had a special offering for the queen who wanted him for a mate. Though she had taken everything from him, and he was determined that she does not take anything else unless it was on his terms. His offering was something that would send a message to the queen.
The Story: Ketahn and his friends are not happy with the world the queen had created since the death of his mother. The queen and her closest allies had an abundance of food while many of the others suffered and starved. They wanted to end her reign of terror but feared even talking about things aloud in case someone might overhear. Ketahn knew he would face consequences for what he was about to do. Though he had a very intense confrontation with the queen, he was able to go back to the tangle. The queen vowed that his time in the tangle was short for he would be her mate.
The heroine: Ivy - she grew up poor and often hungry, but eventually she decided to apply to the home-world initiative, to go into space on a large ship to find a new world. She trained hard in many ways and underwent physical and mental evaluations in a pool of tens of thousands of applicants and was chosen to leave earth. When the ship crashed on an alien planet, she was in a cryo-chamber like the hundreds of other humans aboard the ship. Many of the cryo-chambers were broken and the people inside died.
Ketahn found the crashed ship after falling into a deep and dangerous pit in the jungle. He accidentally opened the pod that Ivy was sleeping in, and he carried her out and took her to his home. They were very different physically and couldn’t speak to each other due to language barriers. This book was a slow burn romance. The story about Ketahn and the queen was a good one and very interesting. Though the physical differences between the two main characters was a bit too much for me and I really dislike in alien romance when the characters have trouble communicating. Many alien romance books solve this with a translator, but that wasn’t the case in this book. Though I was glad that it didn’t take them long to understand each other.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Macie Miller and Marcus Rayne. Marcus Rayne has a deep, breathy voice and is a good narrator. Though he is not one of my favorites, I still liked him. Macie Miller has a soft feminine voice which is pleasant, but you could definitely tell she was reading from her tempo and pauses. One thing though, I bought this without checking the rest of the books in this series, and unlike most alien romance books, the entire series is about this one couple. I like it best when each book is about a different couple, so I was disappointed that Ketahn and Ivy’s story wasn’t finished at the end of this book.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜❤️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🙁☺️😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The Hero: Ketahn - he was son to the queen before she died years ago. He not only lost his mother, but his sire and eight of his nine brothers and sisters. These days he spends above ground in the tangle and hasn’t been home for seven years. But this year he came home for offering day, making his offering to the eight. He had a special offering for the queen who wanted him for a mate. Though she had taken everything from him, and he was determined that she does not take anything else unless it was on his terms. His offering was something that would send a message to the queen.
The Story: Ketahn and his friends are not happy with the world the queen had created since the death of his mother. The queen and her closest allies had an abundance of food while many of the others suffered and starved. They wanted to end her reign of terror but feared even talking about things aloud in case someone might overhear. Ketahn knew he would face consequences for what he was about to do. Though he had a very intense confrontation with the queen, he was able to go back to the tangle. The queen vowed that his time in the tangle was short for he would be her mate.
The heroine: Ivy - she grew up poor and often hungry, but eventually she decided to apply to the home-world initiative, to go into space on a large ship to find a new world. She trained hard in many ways and underwent physical and mental evaluations in a pool of tens of thousands of applicants and was chosen to leave earth. When the ship crashed on an alien planet, she was in a cryo-chamber like the hundreds of other humans aboard the ship. Many of the cryo-chambers were broken and the people inside died.
Ketahn found the crashed ship after falling into a deep and dangerous pit in the jungle. He accidentally opened the pod that Ivy was sleeping in, and he carried her out and took her to his home. They were very different physically and couldn’t speak to each other due to language barriers. This book was a slow burn romance. The story about Ketahn and the queen was a good one and very interesting. Though the physical differences between the two main characters was a bit too much for me and I really dislike in alien romance when the characters have trouble communicating. Many alien romance books solve this with a translator, but that wasn’t the case in this book. Though I was glad that it didn’t take them long to understand each other.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Macie Miller and Marcus Rayne. Marcus Rayne has a deep, breathy voice and is a good narrator. Though he is not one of my favorites, I still liked him. Macie Miller has a soft feminine voice which is pleasant, but you could definitely tell she was reading from her tempo and pauses. One thing though, I bought this without checking the rest of the books in this series, and unlike most alien romance books, the entire series is about this one couple. I like it best when each book is about a different couple, so I was disappointed that Ketahn and Ivy’s story wasn’t finished at the end of this book.
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May 31, 2021
3 'Unpopular Opinion' Stars!
This is the first book in The Spider’s Mate trilogy and features Ketahn and Ivy. Ketahn is not human...he is an alien that closely resembles a spider. Ivy is human and has landed on his planet and he saves her. Ketahn never thought to claim a mate but Ivy stirs emotions and feelings in him and he believes her to be his heartsthread. Ivy is terrified (understandably) of Ketahn at first but their bond and relationship grows the longer they are together. But not all is what it seems. The cruel Queen that rules wants Ketahn as her mate, Ketahn never planned on being a pawn in her sick rule and Ivy isn’t sure what her future looks like but wants Ketahn in ways she hasn’t fully come to terms with. Will Ketahn be able to protect Ivy from the unforgiving jungle and the Queen? Will Ivy accept her place by his side? Can Ketahn and Ivy help her fellow passengers that were on the ship that landed on the planet?
I struggled with the first 60% of this story. There was a language barrier between Ketahn and Ivy and normally that wouldn’t bother me but I found myself trying to figure out what was actually being said rather than paying attention to their romance and the plot in general. OR maybe I’m just dumb.
When I wasn’t trying to decipher what they were saying, I was skimming paragraphs because the details about things were a little drawn out and excessive. I got bored. After the 60% mark, their language barrier kind of just cleared up which seemed a bit abrupt (I know I know I was just complaining I didn’t like it) and I was stillllll waiting for some more heat between the two of them. We didn’t get any decent steam between them until closer to the 80% mark and while good, I wish there had been more sooner.
The world, while not completely fleshed out in my opinion, is promising and once I got past the 60% mark, I actually got excited about the next book in this series. I don’t like trilogies but I am hooked enough at this point to find out what happens. So overall, I didn’t love this...I didn’t hate it BUT I am intrigued enough to continue.
This is the first book in The Spider’s Mate trilogy and features Ketahn and Ivy. Ketahn is not human...he is an alien that closely resembles a spider. Ivy is human and has landed on his planet and he saves her. Ketahn never thought to claim a mate but Ivy stirs emotions and feelings in him and he believes her to be his heartsthread. Ivy is terrified (understandably) of Ketahn at first but their bond and relationship grows the longer they are together. But not all is what it seems. The cruel Queen that rules wants Ketahn as her mate, Ketahn never planned on being a pawn in her sick rule and Ivy isn’t sure what her future looks like but wants Ketahn in ways she hasn’t fully come to terms with. Will Ketahn be able to protect Ivy from the unforgiving jungle and the Queen? Will Ivy accept her place by his side? Can Ketahn and Ivy help her fellow passengers that were on the ship that landed on the planet?
I struggled with the first 60% of this story. There was a language barrier between Ketahn and Ivy and normally that wouldn’t bother me but I found myself trying to figure out what was actually being said rather than paying attention to their romance and the plot in general. OR maybe I’m just dumb.
When I wasn’t trying to decipher what they were saying, I was skimming paragraphs because the details about things were a little drawn out and excessive. I got bored. After the 60% mark, their language barrier kind of just cleared up which seemed a bit abrupt (I know I know I was just complaining I didn’t like it) and I was stillllll waiting for some more heat between the two of them. We didn’t get any decent steam between them until closer to the 80% mark and while good, I wish there had been more sooner.
The world, while not completely fleshed out in my opinion, is promising and once I got past the 60% mark, I actually got excited about the next book in this series. I don’t like trilogies but I am hooked enough at this point to find out what happens. So overall, I didn’t love this...I didn’t hate it BUT I am intrigued enough to continue.
September 21, 2022
I did NOT expect to love this as much as I did
Not me thinking the cover showed a big ant. I can't believe I read about a spider-like creature and loved it.
Ketahn was everything I'd want in a manspider (not to be confused with spiderman). He actively tried to accommodate to any of Ivy's needs and was fiercely loyal and protective. Ivy had a heart-of-gold and wished to save everyone. The world-building was scarily good, I was easily transported into their world. Give it time to build. 💪
Their spicy scenes were so dang hawt, I stg you need a fan blowing on you or you might overheat. The ending leads perfectly into the opening of the next book, but it does not end on a cliffy (at least from what I remember, I have yet to start the next one-but soon!). Don't be put off by what you might think of the book, give it a shot. I can promise you won't regret it.
Ketahn was everything I'd want in a manspider (not to be confused with spiderman). He actively tried to accommodate to any of Ivy's needs and was fiercely loyal and protective. Ivy had a heart-of-gold and wished to save everyone. The world-building was scarily good, I was easily transported into their world. Give it time to build. 💪
Their spicy scenes were so dang hawt, I stg you need a fan blowing on you or you might overheat. The ending leads perfectly into the opening of the next book, but it does not end on a cliffy (at least from what I remember, I have yet to start the next one-but soon!). Don't be put off by what you might think of the book, give it a shot. I can promise you won't regret it.
May 27, 2021
She needed him the most, and she would not survive this world without him. He could not abandon her. He would not abandon her.
Yeah that cover reeled me right in- love me a weird monster alien story and this one didn't disappoint.
Might do a longer review later- but I will say the romance and Kethan's feelings for Ivy were...intense to say the least. Thumbs up to him for his creative craftsspidership.
August 23, 2025
I should’ve known from the cover that this probably wasn’t going to be my kind of book, but it came highly recommended, so I decided to give it a try. There’s only so much I can handle when it comes to alien or monster romances, and unfortunately this one pushed past that limit for me.
This book had such an original premise, but it ended up being a tough read for me. The setting was vivid and dangerous, and I could tell a lot of care went into building the world. Ketahn’s character had protective and loyal qualities that stood out, and Ivy showed flashes of strength while navigating a terrifying situation. On paper, it should have worked for me, but the execution just didn’t click.
My biggest struggle was Ketahn himself. His spider-like appearance made it really hard for me to connect with the romance. Normally I wouldn’t describe a book as grossing me out, but this definitely hit that point for me. 🥲 I understand that it’s part of the alien romance concept, and I’m sure many readers would love it, but personally it just didn’t work. The romantic and physical moments that were supposed to feel emotional or swoony often missed the mark, and I found myself pulled out of the story multiple times. I even considered DNF’ing, but pushed through hoping it would improve.
In the end, I can see why some readers love this for its originality, but personally it wasn’t enjoyable. It gave me more discomfort than connection, and for that reason it fell flat.
I won’t be reading the rest of the series
This book had such an original premise, but it ended up being a tough read for me. The setting was vivid and dangerous, and I could tell a lot of care went into building the world. Ketahn’s character had protective and loyal qualities that stood out, and Ivy showed flashes of strength while navigating a terrifying situation. On paper, it should have worked for me, but the execution just didn’t click.
My biggest struggle was Ketahn himself. His spider-like appearance made it really hard for me to connect with the romance. Normally I wouldn’t describe a book as grossing me out, but this definitely hit that point for me. 🥲 I understand that it’s part of the alien romance concept, and I’m sure many readers would love it, but personally it just didn’t work. The romantic and physical moments that were supposed to feel emotional or swoony often missed the mark, and I found myself pulled out of the story multiple times. I even considered DNF’ing, but pushed through hoping it would improve.
In the end, I can see why some readers love this for its originality, but personally it wasn’t enjoyable. It gave me more discomfort than connection, and for that reason it fell flat.
I won’t be reading the rest of the series
May 21, 2021
An unusual and fascinating story!
I was uncertain how a book about a human and a spider-like being could turn into a romance, but Tiffany Roberts has done just that. And done it well! The world-building is thorough, giving us insight into the workings of the vrix society. I enjoy the slow acquaintance and appreciation Ivy develops for Ketahn, and his fascination with this very strange being he’s discovered. The situation is volatile, as the powerful vrix queen has life-changing plans. If you enjoy sci-fi romance with oddly matched couples, this is for you. A captivating story with a HFN ending - more to come soon. I can’t wait for what’s next!
I was uncertain how a book about a human and a spider-like being could turn into a romance, but Tiffany Roberts has done just that. And done it well! The world-building is thorough, giving us insight into the workings of the vrix society. I enjoy the slow acquaintance and appreciation Ivy develops for Ketahn, and his fascination with this very strange being he’s discovered. The situation is volatile, as the powerful vrix queen has life-changing plans. If you enjoy sci-fi romance with oddly matched couples, this is for you. A captivating story with a HFN ending - more to come soon. I can’t wait for what’s next!
March 9, 2022
Uhhhh...
3 stars?
Weird but also kinda romantic. In a weird ass way.
The spider got a little kinky spicy and that may or may not have... influenced my star rating. Though it could have used more kinky shenanigans in my humble opinion.
3 stars?
Weird but also kinda romantic. In a weird ass way.
The spider got a little kinky spicy and that may or may not have... influenced my star rating. Though it could have used more kinky shenanigans in my humble opinion.
April 25, 2023
Audio - 4 Stars
Story - 4.25 Stars
Story - 4.25 Stars
November 30, 2021
Human men are sooooo 2020 aren't they? Gotta admit that spiders are pushing my limit and I refuse to read a damn book about a cockroach man so don't even try that authors.
Anyway! bury me with my Kindle folks. Not cause I'm gonna be reading shit in the afterlife but because I gotta get rid of this evidence so that I'm not referred to as "horny great great great grandmother Monique who read spicy books about spidermen, minotaurs and other man-animal hybrids" by my family in 100 years time. I mean it just doesn't have the same appeal as "super rad and funny great great great grandmother Monique who owned a lot of cats and drunk a lot of wine" ya know?
Ok now the actual review (sorry lol)...
I completely forgot that Tiffany Roberts wrote one of my favourite books from last year Dustwalker which is about a robot and human female and yep, wow, I really am gonna need my accounts deleted and burned please.
This book was also great! This husband and wife writing duo really know how to world build and I loved the set up and the slow burn of this story.
I'm normally not a fan of trilogies but I think given that this world is so complex and there are a lot of things going on I'm not going to be bored by the other books and I'm really looking forward to seeing how everything turns out. Kicking myself a little bit though as I didn't realise the 3rd one wasn't out yet.
Also the spice... was so worth the wait and I'm looking forward to some more of that in the next ones.
Highly recommend if you've also been enjoying all the other crazy non human books I've been reading lately!
Anyway! bury me with my Kindle folks. Not cause I'm gonna be reading shit in the afterlife but because I gotta get rid of this evidence so that I'm not referred to as "horny great great great grandmother Monique who read spicy books about spidermen, minotaurs and other man-animal hybrids" by my family in 100 years time. I mean it just doesn't have the same appeal as "super rad and funny great great great grandmother Monique who owned a lot of cats and drunk a lot of wine" ya know?
Ok now the actual review (sorry lol)...
I completely forgot that Tiffany Roberts wrote one of my favourite books from last year Dustwalker which is about a robot and human female and yep, wow, I really am gonna need my accounts deleted and burned please.
This book was also great! This husband and wife writing duo really know how to world build and I loved the set up and the slow burn of this story.
I'm normally not a fan of trilogies but I think given that this world is so complex and there are a lot of things going on I'm not going to be bored by the other books and I'm really looking forward to seeing how everything turns out. Kicking myself a little bit though as I didn't realise the 3rd one wasn't out yet.
Also the spice... was so worth the wait and I'm looking forward to some more of that in the next ones.
Highly recommend if you've also been enjoying all the other crazy non human books I've been reading lately!
November 5, 2024
hear me out...
October 29, 2022
**5/5 stars**
First read: July 23rd, 2021 (Kindle)
Second read: October 6th, 2022 (Kindle)
I remember when I was a teenager, I used to read a lot of books. Becoming an adult, not having as much time to read or the passion for it anymore, I sort of strayed from it for a while. Fast forward, during the COVID lockdown, I found my passion rekindled by eroticas (especially weird ones) I just wanted to escape reality and it ended up bringing me this new passion. Fun fact, Ensnared was one of the first books that sparked my interest for reading again, along with Broken Earth (one of my all time favorites to date) and Viper, which I'm planning to reread again to be able to review soon. Anyway! I wasn't sure what to expect from rereading Ensnared. I must say that I was a little bit worried that my first rating might've been inaccurate because at the time, reading this sort of story was a 'new experience' for me. I wasn't disappointed one bit by this second read. There is just so much thinking behind the writing of this story!
Ketahn, a Vrix (which is a sort of vaguely humanoid spider alien), was such a great character. I hate spiders, but I somehow loved him! He was the most caring, protective and sweet towards Ivy..yet, possessive and even dominating. I loved how his attraction for Ivy was gradual. If at first, he thought of her more as a companion, a friend who shared the same type of struggle, who understood him, he quickly became territorial of her. He didn't want other Vrix to know about her because she was his. I loved the switch in his behavior when he decided he wanted to conquer Ivy, no matter their differences.
Ivy was a sweet but brave young woman who had to go through a lot. Even if she recalled bad memories, she didn't let that rule over her new life. She was willing to learn, to adapt, to be capable on this unknown planet. The first moments she met Ketahn, she was absolutely terrified, which anyone would be! But she quickly understood that he didn't want to hurt her and that he was taking care of her.
Their chemistry was really nice! Everything was done smoothly. From curiosity and exploration to friendship, companionship and mating, it just all made sense! The authors didn't rush things between them. It was strange but sweet and I loved that. I feel like the mating scene between the characters might not suit everyone because it did have a frenzy, a spider behavior twist and a slight but definitive dubcon feel to it...I personally loved that. It was different from anything I'd ever read before, it was intense, strange and hot. Not to mention the cute and funny moments they had together. A great dynamic.
Another thing that's worth pointing out: I found that some reviews were negative and complaining about the language barrier in this book... To me, it’s one of the many things I appreciated. It’s one of the strong points I vividly recalled from my first read because I thought it was so well done. It saddens me that some people don’t see the ingenuity behind it. How brilliant it is!! Too often, the authors of this kind of books go the ‘easy’ route, giving the characters a translator that solves all the communication issues. But, here? The authors decided to tackle the issue by making the characters learn from each other. Of course, the story wasn’t just about that and the learning might’ve seemed fast at times but I just have so much appreciation for authors who spend time creating a new language and making everything coherent. As a reader, I just find it so immersive.
💥Cliffhanger
✔️Part of a trilogy
✔️Dual POV
✔️Age gap
✔️Protective/Possessive H
✔️Strong/Sweet h
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No cheating
✔️Slow burn
🔥 Steam level: 3/5
⚡Content warning
⚡Trigger warning
Definitely looking forward to the next book, as this one ended on a cliffhanger. It's a book I see myself read again and again. The worldbuilding, the characters and the plot were immersive and enjoyable. Don't expect a fast paced story, but definitely expect quality. I just have nothing bad to say about it.
First read: July 23rd, 2021 (Kindle)
Second read: October 6th, 2022 (Kindle)
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
I remember when I was a teenager, I used to read a lot of books. Becoming an adult, not having as much time to read or the passion for it anymore, I sort of strayed from it for a while. Fast forward, during the COVID lockdown, I found my passion rekindled by eroticas (especially weird ones) I just wanted to escape reality and it ended up bringing me this new passion. Fun fact, Ensnared was one of the first books that sparked my interest for reading again, along with Broken Earth (one of my all time favorites to date) and Viper, which I'm planning to reread again to be able to review soon. Anyway! I wasn't sure what to expect from rereading Ensnared. I must say that I was a little bit worried that my first rating might've been inaccurate because at the time, reading this sort of story was a 'new experience' for me. I wasn't disappointed one bit by this second read. There is just so much thinking behind the writing of this story!
Ketahn, a Vrix (which is a sort of vaguely humanoid spider alien), was such a great character. I hate spiders, but I somehow loved him! He was the most caring, protective and sweet towards Ivy..yet, possessive and even dominating. I loved how his attraction for Ivy was gradual. If at first, he thought of her more as a companion, a friend who shared the same type of struggle, who understood him, he quickly became territorial of her. He didn't want other Vrix to know about her because she was his. I loved the switch in his behavior when he decided he wanted to conquer Ivy, no matter their differences.
“Is...there another female you're wanting as your mate?”
“There is no vrix I long to take as my nyleea”
Ivy was a sweet but brave young woman who had to go through a lot. Even if she recalled bad memories, she didn't let that rule over her new life. She was willing to learn, to adapt, to be capable on this unknown planet. The first moments she met Ketahn, she was absolutely terrified, which anyone would be! But she quickly understood that he didn't want to hurt her and that he was taking care of her.
He lowered his head so it was beside hers and turned his face into her hair. When he inhaled, a sound rolled in his chest—one part purr, one part growl, one part chirrup.
Their chemistry was really nice! Everything was done smoothly. From curiosity and exploration to friendship, companionship and mating, it just all made sense! The authors didn't rush things between them. It was strange but sweet and I loved that. I feel like the mating scene between the characters might not suit everyone because it did have a frenzy, a spider behavior twist and a slight but definitive dubcon feel to it...I personally loved that. It was different from anything I'd ever read before, it was intense, strange and hot. Not to mention the cute and funny moments they had together. A great dynamic.
There was fire in his eyes. Deep, meaningful, and powerful, it spoke of a passion that transcended appearance, language, and culture, of a connection that people only dreamt of finding on this world or any other.
Another thing that's worth pointing out: I found that some reviews were negative and complaining about the language barrier in this book... To me, it’s one of the many things I appreciated. It’s one of the strong points I vividly recalled from my first read because I thought it was so well done. It saddens me that some people don’t see the ingenuity behind it. How brilliant it is!! Too often, the authors of this kind of books go the ‘easy’ route, giving the characters a translator that solves all the communication issues. But, here? The authors decided to tackle the issue by making the characters learn from each other. Of course, the story wasn’t just about that and the learning might’ve seemed fast at times but I just have so much appreciation for authors who spend time creating a new language and making everything coherent. As a reader, I just find it so immersive.
💥Cliffhanger
✔️Part of a trilogy
✔️Dual POV
✔️Age gap
✔️Protective/Possessive H
✔️Strong/Sweet h
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No cheating
✔️Slow burn
🔥 Steam level: 3/5
⚡Content warning
⚡Trigger warning
Definitely looking forward to the next book, as this one ended on a cliffhanger. It's a book I see myself read again and again. The worldbuilding, the characters and the plot were immersive and enjoyable. Don't expect a fast paced story, but definitely expect quality. I just have nothing bad to say about it.
The Spider's Mate Trilogy
1. Ensnared - 2. Enthralled - 3. Bound
May 26, 2021
4.5 Stars!
**Thanks to the authors for giving me and ARC**
Okayyy phewww!!! Anyone who knows me knows I H A T E spiders...I cannot stress enough how much this book equally scared me and excited me. Excited me because of the mysteries behind Ketahn's *ahem* appendage and what that entailed for a spidery man.
This book had it all, a well rounded plot, great characters with a solid foundation and even a great romance. I love how they grew as individuals as well as together, I loved their bond and how innocent it was. They truly were friends and I loved that for them. I loved to read about their relationship and how is progressed--these characters really complimented each other.
The world building was well done but I felt that because of it happening at the beginning at the book, it slowed the pace before it could actually get started. That being said, after you pass the first 5 chapters...you're in for an amazing ride! I loved the plot and I really commend the authors with their way to tell a story.
Their writing really allowed for me to envision what the Vrix (species of Katahn) looked like and how..special appendages looked and worked. I also thought it was amazing how Tiffany and Robert created a whole species with their own culture, rituals, mating habits as well a whole language.
The amount of work that must have went into writing this story is extraordinary and I commend both Tiffany and Robert on this wonderful start to what appears to be an amazing trilogy!
**Thanks to the authors for giving me and ARC**
Okayyy phewww!!! Anyone who knows me knows I H A T E spiders...I cannot stress enough how much this book equally scared me and excited me. Excited me because of the mysteries behind Ketahn's *ahem* appendage and what that entailed for a spidery man.
This book had it all, a well rounded plot, great characters with a solid foundation and even a great romance. I love how they grew as individuals as well as together, I loved their bond and how innocent it was. They truly were friends and I loved that for them. I loved to read about their relationship and how is progressed--these characters really complimented each other.
The world building was well done but I felt that because of it happening at the beginning at the book, it slowed the pace before it could actually get started. That being said, after you pass the first 5 chapters...you're in for an amazing ride! I loved the plot and I really commend the authors with their way to tell a story.
Their writing really allowed for me to envision what the Vrix (species of Katahn) looked like and how..special appendages looked and worked. I also thought it was amazing how Tiffany and Robert created a whole species with their own culture, rituals, mating habits as well a whole language.
The amount of work that must have went into writing this story is extraordinary and I commend both Tiffany and Robert on this wonderful start to what appears to be an amazing trilogy!
May 1, 2023
Loved a reread via audiobook!
Very talented duet narration. I was completely engrossed. Can't wait for the others to release as well.
It is still a very slow build but I love these two enough to be patient.
4 stars.
2.5 on the spice scale
Very talented duet narration. I was completely engrossed. Can't wait for the others to release as well.
It is still a very slow build but I love these two enough to be patient.
4 stars.
2.5 on the spice scale
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March 7, 2025Read for Patreon!
July 28, 2021
Overall: 4.5 stars. A delightful slow-burn alien romance with a sweet alien hero and interesting alien culture. The spider-centaur alien man romance we never knew we needed!
Pros: First off, I reallllllly do not like spiders. I would never expect to like a hero like Ketahn, a spider centaur-man alien. However, the authors here have written a lovable, protective Tarzan-like spider-dude who was really a big sweetie. I wouldn’t say he was necessarily a “sexy alien,” but I understood the heroine, Ivy’s, physical attraction to him after the book’s slow-burn development of their emotional connection. Basically, out-of-context, spider-men are creepy; in the context of the story, he was a sweet, caring hero. I think it also helped that the book devoted the first several chapters to his POV and in developing his culture: the reader gets insight into his mind and personality as a character before really learning what he looks like from a human perspective.
The vrix (spider people) culture is actually really interesting, and I enjoyed the early scenes where Ketahn and Ivy are learning each other’s language and technologies. The way they slowly grow into friends and then lovers is lovely too. Also, this is just a very well-written book overall.
Cons: The reason this isn’t a 5 star read for me boils down to the heroine, Ivy. She comes off as fairly immature for someone who’s ventured into space as a colonist (she spends a lot of time literally shrieking about how plants and animals on Ketahn’s planet are “yucky,” gross, nasty, etc. Shouldn’t you be expecting to encounter weird alien lifeforms in this scenario??), and she does some “Too Stupid to Live” actions like peeing on herself rather than risk Ketahn see her urinate (1. He’s a spider man without human ideas of shame, and 2. Is peeing on yourself better?), wandering off when angry and almost getting eaten by a tiger monster, refusing to eat “gross” food when she’s literally starving to death, etc. Essentially, she’s really bad at survival when she signed up to be a space colonist, which presumably involves having some survival skills.
In addition, despite getting some flashbacks to character-building moments in her past, Ivy just doesn’t feel as well-developed to me as Ketahn does. Still, their relationship and his character in general are so enjoyable to read that they make up for Ivy being a weaker character.
Note: this is the first part of a trilogy, so it’s technically HFN with a cliffhanger, but I assume that it will wrap up with a HEA by the third book.
Steam Level: There’s only one extended sex scene in the last part of the book, but it’s pretty detailed and spicy.
I would never have dreamed up liking a spider-centaur alien romance, but this book was just a fun, quick, sexy read. If you like alien romances at all: give this one a try!
Pros: First off, I reallllllly do not like spiders. I would never expect to like a hero like Ketahn, a spider centaur-man alien. However, the authors here have written a lovable, protective Tarzan-like spider-dude who was really a big sweetie. I wouldn’t say he was necessarily a “sexy alien,” but I understood the heroine, Ivy’s, physical attraction to him after the book’s slow-burn development of their emotional connection. Basically, out-of-context, spider-men are creepy; in the context of the story, he was a sweet, caring hero. I think it also helped that the book devoted the first several chapters to his POV and in developing his culture: the reader gets insight into his mind and personality as a character before really learning what he looks like from a human perspective.
The vrix (spider people) culture is actually really interesting, and I enjoyed the early scenes where Ketahn and Ivy are learning each other’s language and technologies. The way they slowly grow into friends and then lovers is lovely too. Also, this is just a very well-written book overall.
Cons: The reason this isn’t a 5 star read for me boils down to the heroine, Ivy. She comes off as fairly immature for someone who’s ventured into space as a colonist (she spends a lot of time literally shrieking about how plants and animals on Ketahn’s planet are “yucky,” gross, nasty, etc. Shouldn’t you be expecting to encounter weird alien lifeforms in this scenario??), and she does some “Too Stupid to Live” actions like peeing on herself rather than risk Ketahn see her urinate (1. He’s a spider man without human ideas of shame, and 2. Is peeing on yourself better?), wandering off when angry and almost getting eaten by a tiger monster, refusing to eat “gross” food when she’s literally starving to death, etc. Essentially, she’s really bad at survival when she signed up to be a space colonist, which presumably involves having some survival skills.
In addition, despite getting some flashbacks to character-building moments in her past, Ivy just doesn’t feel as well-developed to me as Ketahn does. Still, their relationship and his character in general are so enjoyable to read that they make up for Ivy being a weaker character.
Note: this is the first part of a trilogy, so it’s technically HFN with a cliffhanger, but I assume that it will wrap up with a HEA by the third book.
Steam Level: There’s only one extended sex scene in the last part of the book, but it’s pretty detailed and spicy.
I would never have dreamed up liking a spider-centaur alien romance, but this book was just a fun, quick, sexy read. If you like alien romances at all: give this one a try!
February 10, 2023
2 ⭐️ Interesting concept but not for me.
I didn’t get or enjoy the world-building very much because it took forever to be explained fully. It really was slow in the beginning, so I ended up skimming to the end. Also, it's left with a cliffhanger.
A few other issues:
- The language barrier between Ivy and Ketahn disappeared way too quickly.
- Ivy wasn’t very interesting enough
- The writing was incredibly wordy and if I wanted to really understand what was going on in the story or with the world-building I had to read slowly. It got to a point where it just felt painful to read
- The concept of the story and romance is interesting, but I can’t get past the fact the love interest, Ketahn is a spider. I guess my limit for monster romance is when they look like an insect. Especially when he has mandibles instead of a human-like mouth, and it's mentioned repeatedly so I’m always reminded he’s a weird insect alien man. Lol
I didn’t get or enjoy the world-building very much because it took forever to be explained fully. It really was slow in the beginning, so I ended up skimming to the end. Also, it's left with a cliffhanger.
A few other issues:
- The language barrier between Ivy and Ketahn disappeared way too quickly.
- Ivy wasn’t very interesting enough
- The writing was incredibly wordy and if I wanted to really understand what was going on in the story or with the world-building I had to read slowly. It got to a point where it just felt painful to read
- The concept of the story and romance is interesting, but I can’t get past the fact the love interest, Ketahn is a spider. I guess my limit for monster romance is when they look like an insect. Especially when he has mandibles instead of a human-like mouth, and it's mentioned repeatedly so I’m always reminded he’s a weird insect alien man. Lol
June 13, 2022
This is very strange but I like it.
June 16, 2024
Third Rating: 5 / 5
Finally broke down and just BOUGHT the kindle version of this book cause...the physical copy's $27 (and no way am I paying that much!), and...well, why give the people around me more reasons to question that I'm a weirdo, if they see me reading about alien-spider sex.
Yup, let's keep up the ambiguity of a Kindle.
Second Rating: 4.8 / 5
It just occurred to me that I've re-read this more times than I've actually recorded on Goodreads, and furthermore that all my re-reads are in fact super fast on everything.
This can only mean that I love this story, right? And that...er...well, that it deserves a full 5 stars rating, oui?
Yes, yes indeed.
Rating: 4.4 / 5
So...um...what does it say about me that I breezed through this so easily?
I mean, technically I'm reading another book right now as well, but I was in the mood for some romance as well, and I noticed that this was sitting in my Kindle library for a while, so...yeah.
I read it.
Ahem, that being said, I've always loved spiders myself, ever since reading Charlotte's Web as a child, so the "fear factor" was never really present to me. Instead, I was just curious-as-heck for how there are authors that would even think to write a story like this.
With octopi? Sure, the Japanese have that down with tentacles and The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife and whatnot, and I know that for furries and orcs and what have you, there are those out there with those fetishes as well.
Hey, I get it. Us monster lovers as children might translate this to something more "adult" once we become adults. I get it.
But still, even I thought spider-sex was a bit of a stretch. I mean, it's not like sex with Spider Man (which Ivy calls Ketahn a bunch of times, by the way), which is a totally different matter, but literally sex with what is essentially a spider alien.
I'm p-r-e-t-t-y sure this is the only book that deals with quite this type of romance, though I'm probably wrong and the internet has lots of room left for it.
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Anyway, I liked it.
At its core, this is really a sweet love story, with Ketahn being a strong male vrix (spider alien) who is desired by the queen of the vrixes herself, and yet he personally hates her and therefore isolates himself from the other vrixes so that he'll be left alone. Match this with Ivy, who seems to be the only human who survived a spaceship crash on this jungle world known only as the Tangle. Ketahn finds her and brings her back to his nest...
...and so commences the development of a touching friendship first, which is only followed up by a romance afterwards.
It. Was. So. Sweet. And. Touching.
We get to read about things both from Ivy and Ketahn's point of views, which was interesting especially in how they first had to learn each others' languages in order to communicate. I liked how they first each recognized the other as an intelligent and complex being, and then both endeavoured to learn each other's languages. Like...it wasn't one-sided like just Ketahn learning English or Ivy learning his language--they both put forth an effort, and that really speaks to them as being a team.
The development of friendship and then romance was gradual and felt natural, with those sexual tension moments definitely put in there, but it's not like instant lust or love or anything like that. No, it starts out with curiosity for Ketahn and fear for Ivy, only to morph into understanding, then friendship, and then of course romance.
I just mean to say that, overall, despite an idea that many people might be turned off by, this was a really, really well-executed story, that took its time and that put forth the best effort it could go make us root for the couple.
Ended off on a bit of a cliffhanger, so of course I'll go right to reading the sequel in order to find out what happens next. Stay tuned, and all that!
Finally broke down and just BOUGHT the kindle version of this book cause...the physical copy's $27 (and no way am I paying that much!), and...well, why give the people around me more reasons to question that I'm a weirdo, if they see me reading about alien-spider sex.
Yup, let's keep up the ambiguity of a Kindle.
Second Rating: 4.8 / 5
It just occurred to me that I've re-read this more times than I've actually recorded on Goodreads, and furthermore that all my re-reads are in fact super fast on everything.
This can only mean that I love this story, right? And that...er...well, that it deserves a full 5 stars rating, oui?
Yes, yes indeed.
Rating: 4.4 / 5
So...um...what does it say about me that I breezed through this so easily?
I mean, technically I'm reading another book right now as well, but I was in the mood for some romance as well, and I noticed that this was sitting in my Kindle library for a while, so...yeah.
I read it.
Ahem, that being said, I've always loved spiders myself, ever since reading Charlotte's Web as a child, so the "fear factor" was never really present to me. Instead, I was just curious-as-heck for how there are authors that would even think to write a story like this.
With octopi? Sure, the Japanese have that down with tentacles and The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife and whatnot, and I know that for furries and orcs and what have you, there are those out there with those fetishes as well.
Hey, I get it. Us monster lovers as children might translate this to something more "adult" once we become adults. I get it.
But still, even I thought spider-sex was a bit of a stretch. I mean, it's not like sex with Spider Man (which Ivy calls Ketahn a bunch of times, by the way), which is a totally different matter, but literally sex with what is essentially a spider alien.
I'm p-r-e-t-t-y sure this is the only book that deals with quite this type of romance, though I'm probably wrong and the internet has lots of room left for it.
BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Anyway, I liked it.
At its core, this is really a sweet love story, with Ketahn being a strong male vrix (spider alien) who is desired by the queen of the vrixes herself, and yet he personally hates her and therefore isolates himself from the other vrixes so that he'll be left alone. Match this with Ivy, who seems to be the only human who survived a spaceship crash on this jungle world known only as the Tangle. Ketahn finds her and brings her back to his nest...
...and so commences the development of a touching friendship first, which is only followed up by a romance afterwards.
It. Was. So. Sweet. And. Touching.
We get to read about things both from Ivy and Ketahn's point of views, which was interesting especially in how they first had to learn each others' languages in order to communicate. I liked how they first each recognized the other as an intelligent and complex being, and then both endeavoured to learn each other's languages. Like...it wasn't one-sided like just Ketahn learning English or Ivy learning his language--they both put forth an effort, and that really speaks to them as being a team.
The development of friendship and then romance was gradual and felt natural, with those sexual tension moments definitely put in there, but it's not like instant lust or love or anything like that. No, it starts out with curiosity for Ketahn and fear for Ivy, only to morph into understanding, then friendship, and then of course romance.
I just mean to say that, overall, despite an idea that many people might be turned off by, this was a really, really well-executed story, that took its time and that put forth the best effort it could go make us root for the couple.
Ended off on a bit of a cliffhanger, so of course I'll go right to reading the sequel in order to find out what happens next. Stay tuned, and all that!
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