Lakin left the small human colony on Develia Station with big dreams to make a difference in the universe. The ships she works on tend to run on the edge of legality by smuggling supplies and sometimes operate totally illegally by transporting refugees or runaway slaves.
It was on one such illegal job that she gives herself up so everyone else can get away. She ends up in the hands of a powerful species called the Talin. At first tortured and abused, then later coddled and cared for, she’s not sure what to make of this species. First, they’re brutal and then they’re kind. And the humans she meets all seem to adore their Talin owners.
Distrustful and constantly looking for a route to escape, she becomes acquainted with a Talin named Dalt, an ex-soldier with demons of his own. Soon she finds herself embroiled in a civil conflict among the Talin. Picking sides is easy; proving she can be an asset is a little harder. Figuring out if she can live under Talin law as a pet or needs to escape and leave Dalt behind, is the hardest part.
This is an 85K word novel with a HEA. This book is meant for mature audiences, 18+ readers only.
This was a decent story. I read book one and wasn’t sure so I thought I would read book two. I actually like this one better. Maybe because I’m more familiar with the concept of the storyline now, but I liked it better. And I laughed through this book. The FMC had such a great sense of humor. It is a different storyline. They both have been medium burn 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Escaping Captivity was the second book in the Human Pets of Talin series by RK Munin. It was sci-fi romance with a bit of intrigue and space opera.
This second installment focused on Dalt, a Talin warrior we met in the first book, and Lakin, a human woman seeking refuge. Lakin, having escaped a different form of brutal captivity, soon found herself under the protection of Dalt. Their story played out amidst the growing political turmoil on Talin, as the events of the previous book had triggered a significant cultural divide. The Talin found themselves splitting into Reformists, who were beginning to question the traditional view of humans as simple pets, and Traditionalists, who clung fanatically to the established ways or to push things even more extreme! Dalt had to juggle his own protective instincts and developing feelings for Lakin while also had to contend with these dangerous societal shifts and threats from those opposing change.
I felt this sequel shared many of the strengths and weaknesses found in the first book. That said, the personalities of both lead characters made this installment a bit easier to deal with. Lakin, particularly, possessed more agency than Sora (the heroine from Loving Captivity), which made a noticeable difference. She came across as less submissive and passive and definitely displayed a stronger streak of independence. That was a big improvement as how useless and submissive these humans are in this world drives me insane lol!
Dalt was a pretty likeable male lead, and I felt he underwent significant positive character development throughout the course of the story. Crucially, by the end of the tale, I truly believed that he had come to see Lakin as an equal partner rather than merely a pet. This marked a key difference and improvement from the central relationship dynamic we got in the first book. In Loving Capacity I was never convinced Searin saw Sora as an equal. I was convinced that Dalt saw Lakin as an equal by the end of this one. That was much more satisfying!
Another thing I liked was how the consequences of the first book played out directly in this one. Searin's controversial stance on humans had clearly fractured his societ which created the tension between Reformists and Traditionalists. This ongoing political struggle served as an interesting and effective backdrop for Lakin and Dalt's personal story. Especially since Larkin’s first experience of Talin’s was via a couple of Traditionalist extremists.
All in all, I really liked this sequel. While it still had some lingering flaws inherent to the premise, I felt this second book was a definite improvement. It successfully retained the elements I enjoyed from the first novel while effectively mitigating some (though not all) of the issues I had previously encountered. Which made for a compelling and satisfying read.
Despite how useless and weirdly pro-slavery the humans in this series are I find I’m still very much on board, and addicted, to the nonsense premise and the cutesy romance that is mixed with just enough danger to keep me on my toes!
Rating: 4.5 stars. Even more fun than the first book and the fact it lessened a few of the issues I had with earns this second instalment the extra half star. I’ll even round up this time!
Audio Note: Listened to this with the Eleven Reader text-to-speech app. Used the Jessica Anne Bogart voice. It was solid.
A resourceful and quirky heroine is always an enjoyable treat. Albeit she has been captured too many times to recall, she’s still managed to help the others while escaping. Her selfishness and dry wit are rare to find in a book without annoying the hell out of me. Dalt is as good as the first book too.
They fell in love before the first half of the book, so the second half mainly focused on the adventure side and meeting lots of new characters and regrouping with the old ones along the way.
I can't recommend these books to anyone in good faith but I loved this one. I liked both main characters, side characters be side-charactering, and the humor is starting to come through more. The romance has a lot less "guy banging his dog" energy, which is a plus.
Lakin did promise that one human she would find him and we never heard about it again, so there better be a resolution to that in the future.
This installment turned the human pet dynamic on its ear with a heroine who has lived free her entire life and knows nothing about the Talins. She was confident and crafty and wouldn’t stand for nonsense. So fun!
This is the second book in the series. It's just as good as the first one. The MMC and the FMC are different from the first book. So far, this series stays away from repeating the same personality type with different names.
These books are adorable. I'm a bit high strung, but think I would make a perfect pet. One thing bothered me in this one. Laken promised to find the boy she was caged near. He was never mentioned again.
Started this book about 5 minutes after reading book 1. Yes, it was that good. This book has the human "wild caught" instead of being a slave originally. Unique universe, and has strong characters that hold your attention. This book gets into a little more details on the politics, and expands out side characters from the first book. The hero and heroine work together well, there is respect and caring on both sides. Looking forward to more in this series!
If you like cute little love stories this book is for you. Not much sex in this book but the story line is pretty good. I personally prefer darker erotica.
This is leagues above the first book. I have come to expect any alien series worth their salt to have very mid first books and suddenly jump in quality in the second one. Possibly to ease us into worldbuilding. The FL in this one is a riot. She is chaos wherever she goes, like a tornado. The ML is the perfect foil to the FL, quiet and calm to her wild and chaotic. He lets here do what she needs to do with his full support even if it sometimes takes a little convincing. The relationship is a lot more natural and romantic in this book compared to the first one which still felt very pet-like towards the end. The ML acknowledged her agency from the beginning. Seeing immediately that she was a warrior like him. He does worry a little about her physical disadvantages and might be a bit over protective. I think it also helps that the FL often laments the physical advantages of Talins rather than being self deprivation about her humanity. She punches up but doesn't punch down. The political landscape needs no warming up. Book 2 was straight in with immediate repercussions to Searin's new political stance. The Traditionalist Vs Reformist drama is very juicy and I can't wait to see what they do with it in layer books. I also like seeing the slow gradual change towards humans from book 1 to book 2. I'm book 1 the FL had a possible personality from years of abuse. Her passiveness helps set the standard for this universe for what to expect regarding treatment of humans and what Talins are taught about them. In book 2 a revolution is brewing. In comes the FL with her fighters spirit and she demands respect with her intelligence while also cracking jokes. You can see the slow paradigm shift as Talins start to realise everything they know about humans is wrong or skewed. The FL's very existence is a complete antithesis to what they know of humans. I bet by the end of the series humans become an equal power on Talin society, with this solar system becoming their new home world/safe space for all humans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Second book in the series and I'm still enjoying this world of humans as pets. Not every author does a great job differentiating MFCs across their series but I was delighted by how different the first two MFCs are. The MFC in this book willfully sows beautiful chaos. She is brilliant and fearless and the MMC is the perfect counter to her. Their love story is delightful.
I have many favorite lines in this book, but this one shows the MFC's love for the MMC, her self assurance in her own abilities, and the absolute folly it is for anyone to mess with her ever.
After she and the MMC are attacked and separated: "No, you had to come in force, attack us, and then drag me off. Do you realize I thought Dalt might be dead! That’s the reason your ship isn’t moving. You don’t get to have nice things if you leave someone I love helpless and potentially dying on a backwater colony. Talins who do that get their stuff broken. By me!”
This whole series of Talin sci-fi romance series just hits the nail on the head of what we crave deep down. Affectionate touch and companionship, and what happens without it. That along with the need for sexuality as a necessary ingredient for a balanced adult emotional life. On the surface this series is a romance. Underneath, much like Guliver's Travels that we all read in high school literature, it is an exploration by the author into the human psych. Like the Talins, humans wither without social interaction. Also, like the present day politics, the Conservatives, wanting to turn the clock backwards to a supposedly better time, are turning to force and outright cruelty to force us all to give up our liberty and forcing us into their narrow views on what is acceptable in our bedrooms!
Humans as pets is not a new concept,but the inventiveness of the way the needs of each species are intertwined in this story is unique. The story is easy to read and full of action. I loved the characters and their interactions. The world building is excellent And believable. I enjoyed the story and couldn't put it down. This is the second book in the series but it can be read as a standalone. I wonder what happened in the 1st book and I wonder what will happen in consecutive books. So, it looks like I will be buying some more books in the series because I highly recommend this one as I loved it.
It's a unique idea. Aliens like to cuddle and pet humans and brush their hair. Affection is banned in Talin society but taking care of your human pet is perfectly acceptable.
Humans and aliens are compatible and can have kids (but this is a huge secret).
The heroine is a "free human" who helps rescue slaves and refugees from other planets. She sacrifices herself so a crew full of rescued people can escape. The Talin put her in an outdoor enclosure and she keeps escaping. It's pretty funny.
I liked how Dalt, the hero, is a military veteran and just wants her to be safe and happy. He's willing to give up everything for her to be happy. It was sweet.
This was my second book in the Human Pets of Talin series. What a great book. Reading about Lakin outsmarting and running rings around the Talins was so entertaining. And damaged and haunted Dalt was the perfect match for her. There was a lot of action and the plots and counterplots between the two separate factions of Talins kept the story moving. Lakin was a great heroine, snarky, clever and capable but still loving and caring. Can't wait to read book three.
This one didn’t do it for me. I enjoy the lore and world building, but in this installment it took too much away from the romance. And that romance came out of nowhere. One moment they’re friends and the next they’re saying the I love you’s. It’s not even a good example of insta-love, of which I am a big fan. I also didn’t feel like the mc was the same character he was in the last book. We don’t get any of the unstable behavior from any of the soldiers in this book. It’s kind of a cheat. I didn’t like the softening of these characters.
4.5 stars. This might be my favorite in the series so far. The only thing that keeps this from being 5 stars is that although there is an overarching storyline, it’s not quite epic. However, I don’t think it’s meant to be. This is a good blend of heartwarming fluff, a few steamy scenes, and a overarching plot that is easy to get invested in. It didn’t break my heart and compel me to join a fb group to talk about my feelings about this series, but it’s .5 stars away from that happening. Can’t wait to read the next one!
3.5 Stars. I really enjoyed my time with this one! Story was engaging and I definitely felt like it was a step up from the previous book. Lakin and Dalt were really intriguing characters that definitely had me invested in their story. I especially loved the respect and faith that Dalt has in Lakin right from their first meeting - super refreshing! The story wasn't anything life-changing and I did find myself getting slightly bored at times but it was definitely still a great story.
I am loving this new author. ( new to me) I Highly Recommend this series ! It's so good that I am shocked more have not read it. If your are a fan of this genre you will not be disappointed. Wonderful unique characters and universe. Great story line. I can't wait for more in this series!!!
Read the first book and couldn't wait to read this one. Couldn't put it down, even better than the first. If you like strong characters, a story that grabs you from the first page. This is the book for you. Definitely would have given it a 5 star rating but again it needs a better proof reading. Found wrong tense, missing words or added words throughout the book.
Serial read,better than first,could be read as stand a lone.
If you have read any of R.K.Munin's books you will already be aware of the strengths of the storytelling.Unfortunely the publisher has allowed frequent typos to distract the reader.This is the reason for 4 stars instead of 5.
I liked this book better than the first because I felt more compassionate towards Dalt than I did Searin. I liked the pairing of Dalt and Lakin and the intricacies of their relationship. I also admire the fact that Lakin was able to maintain an important role even after being owned, and I think that shows that different relationships can empower people in different ways.
Quite an interesting story. I like all the interactions between Talins and humans. The whole world explained in this book is fantastic and totally believable. My review lost a star because of the mistakes. Dalt should have shuddered, not shuttered. Just one example. Nevertheless, the story is excellent.
I've completely fallen in Love with this series and wish I had my own Talin 😃. This series has such an amazing storyline, lots of action, bad people too, sexy stuff and fantastic characters that are very easy to Love 😍. Thanks again RK, I truly can't wait to read more 🤓.
I loved Lakin! She is definitely my kind of human. I love how spirited she is. You can't help but laugh at all the trouble she ends up getting into. My heart goes out to Dalt and all he has endured. It is great how Lakin helps him to gain back his confidence in himself and helps him let go of his past.
Laki was a good character. I like her a lot, despite the fact that some times her overconfident attitude anois me. But we'll, strong, smart. But not lik those stubborn infuriating females. That can't ask for help no matter what. But Dalt? I thin his character must need a retouching. He seems kind of week.
Escaping Captivity is book two in the series Human Pets of Talin by author RK Munin. This is a fascinating tale - here in this one there’s more action, a bit more suspense and I don’t feel as incapable (lol). Larkin is a warrior of sorts and Dalt sees that. Shes just not a cuddle buddy. Enjoy!!