Suspected of kidnapping. Broke. Dumped. Katie thought things couldn’t get any worse.
Then, she was abducted by aliens.
Sure, they were hot warrior aliens, and the space station she was taken to was the coolest place she’d ever seen. Holographic fantasy suites? Over-the-top weddings complete with over-the-top alien wedding planners? Katie knew the tabloids back home would pay a boatload for a scoop like the one she was sitting on. If only she could find a way off the station and tell everyone on Earth.
But first, there was a problem of the Drexian warrior she was supposed to marry. The one whose scars and nightmares scared her. The one she couldn’t fall for.
Zayn knew he didn’t deserve a tribute bride. Those were for heroic warriors, not for soldiers who’d been captured and tortured.
The human with fiery-red hair may stir something within him, but he knows she can’t be his. Not when he’s sure she’s been sent to spy on him. He needs to prove that he hasn't been turned by the enemy and keep his distance from the human. No matter how much he wants to claim her.
This standalone action romance novel features steamy scenes on a holographic fantasy space station, a high-strung alien wedding planner with a penchant for platform shoes, deadly aliens hell-bent on invading Earth, and smoking-hot Drexian warriors with extra erogenous zones who are equally determined to protect Earth.
If you like hot alien warriors, spunky Earth women, and steamy romance with a happily ever after and a few laughs, you’ll love Exposed, the third book in Tana Stone’s sci-fi romance Tribute Brides of the Drexian Warriors series.
I love sexy aliens and independent heroines. I grew up on Star Trek: Next Generation and Star Wars (and I adore them equally). My favorite superhero is Thor (with Aquaman a close second because, well, Jason Momoa), my favorite dessert is key lime pie (okay, fine, all pie), and I still lament the loss of Firefly.
I live in North Carolina in the US and have one husband, two teenagers, and two neurotic cats. I sometimes wish I could teleport to a holographic space station like the one in my tribute brides series (or maybe vacation at the oasis with the sand planet barbarians). :-) When I'm not writing, I love to paddleboard, dive, travel, and read obsessively!
The following ratings are out of 5: Romance: 💚💜💙🤎 Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪 Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔 World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏 Character development: 😋🙂☺️😘🥰 Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙 Narration type: Solo Narration
🛡️ Hero Spotlight: Zayn
Zayn is a battle-scarred Drexian warrior, once the proud leader of a doomed mission into Kronock territory. Thirty years ago, the Drexians were the galaxy’s apex predators—until the Kronock returned with tech upgrades that turned the tide. Zayn’s entire team was slaughtered, and he was captured and tortured, left with nothing but guilt and the weight of survival. His escape brings vital intel, but also a gnawing sense of failure. Haunted by PTSD and a thirst for redemption, Zayn isn’t interested in rewards—especially not the human bride he’s been gifted.
📸 Heroine Spotlight: Katie
Katie’s life in Hollywood is already a mess before aliens enter the picture. A freelance paparazzi raised by a con-artist dad, she’s got hustle and grit—but not much luck. After snapping the last known photos of a missing producer’s daughter (from book 1), Katie becomes a scapegoat and a target. Her boyfriend bails, her stuff’s stolen, and just when things couldn’t get worse… she’s abducted. Cue the intergalactic chaos.
🚀 Plot Pulse
Katie wakes up in a luxe alien apartment, complete with holographic African vistas and zero answers. She’s been drafted into the tribute bride program—Earth’s hush-hush arrangement with the Drexians. Her assigned alien? Zayn. Gorgeous, brooding, and emotionally unavailable. Katie sees a career-defining exposé in the making if she can gather intel and hitch a ride back to Earth. But Zayn’s trauma runs deep, and his mission mindset clashes with the domestic fantasy he’s been handed. As tension builds, so does the question: is Zayn a danger to Katie… or her unexpected protector?
💘 What Hit Home
• Zayn’s emotional detachment and survivor’s guilt are compelling. His PTSD isn’t just a plot point—it shapes his every interaction. • The looming Kronock threat adds real stakes, even if their tech leap feels a bit plot-convenient. • The psychological tension—Zayn questioning whether he’s safe to be around—is a standout thread.
🧐 What Fell Flat
• Katie’s ambition to turn her alien experience into a tell-all felt opportunistic. It undercut some of her vulnerability and made her harder to root for. • The tribute bride premise skirts ethical gray zones that could’ve been explored more deeply.
🎧 Narration Notes
Jodie Bentley delivers a strong solo performance in dual POV. Her voice is expressive without veering into melodrama—a rare balance. While I usually prefer dual narrators for romance, Bentley holds her own and makes the bundle worth it. Tana Stone’s storytelling continues to shine in the alien romance genre, and Bentley’s narration elevates the emotional beats.
📝 Final Takeaway
A suspense-laced sci-fi romance with emotional scars, reluctant attraction, and a heroine who’s more survivor than sweetheart. Zayn’s inner turmoil and Katie’s outsider grit make for a volatile pairing, but one that sparks in unexpected ways. Not perfect, but definitely compelling.
Warrior alpha aliens whose lives are spent keeping the peace but for some it is in the front lines fighting an enemy who destroys worlds. Earth doesn’t know aliens exist except for the government. A deal was made, and women are given in exchange for protection. This fun tale sees women and warriors come together on a space station that is supposed to be a fantasy place. Except it may be stuck in a time that was relevant years ago. It takes its name from the TV series The Love Boat. There is much laughter and action to keep you occupied whilst enjoying this read. Journey along as they learn to navigate forging ahead to a union together and fighting the bad guys. I look forward to reading the rest of this sci fi romance series.
ADULT Alpha Alien Male🐺🔪🔫 Sci-fi Romance💕 and Adventure🚀
Zayn🐺🔪🔫is a broken Drexian Warrior. His unit was attacked by the Kronock👹 and all of his brother Drexians were killed💀 except him. He was captured, imprisoned and tortured. He is finally able to escape, leaving behind another Drexian Warrior🐺🔪🔫 that had been bionically altered by the Kronok👹 into a monster. Zayn🔪🔫 stows away on an alien scavenger's ship and is able to redirect him to Drexian space, where he gets picked up and taken to the Drexian Space Station💫, called "The Love Boat ⛵.
Katie💃💋, a human 🌎Earth woman has been taught how to con by her grifter father. She is working as a paparazzo 📷 on Rodeo Drive but not having much luck spotting a celebrity to 📷photograph. After she took the last known 📷photo of socialite Mandy Talbot, she became a suspect in her disappearance!
Her financial and personal woes all come to a head when she gets back to her apartment and finds out her boyfriend has taken everything but her clothes and left!
Then! Just as she starts to pack her clothes down to her car to leave it all behind, a tall, handsome, Drexian Warrior🐺🔪🔫 is there. What does she have to lose?
"Exposed" is also available as part of a three book box set "Tribute Brides of The Drexian Warriors"
4.5 Great story and loved the hero. Katie grew on me toward the end. Their moment toward the end was so poignant and sweet when all hope was lost. This series is solid and has good plot points and momentum.
Celebrity photographer and former grifter Katie is abducted by aliens to become alien warrior's tribute bride. She decides to play along so that she can escape and tell her story to the tabloids. Zayn, a scarred warrior who was captured and tortured, doesn't want a tribute bride. Suffering from survivor's guilt, he doesn't think Katie is good enough for him. There's plenty of distrust to go around. But just as their love blossoms, strange things, seemingly linked to Zayn, start going wrong on the space station. Exposed was a well-written creative, alien abduction romance. Nothing too heavy, just a fun story.
Just the absolute best story. It had me captivated from the beginning with the hot steamy scenes. I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it! Everything I like to read about and more. Such a great story I will read again and again. A keeper!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tribute Brides of the Drexian Warriors is based on the large muscled humanoid aliens with tan skin who’ve spent their lives battling the enemy aliens called the Kronock. There had been a secret treaty with Earth for the past 30 years where the Drexians have been granted permission to abduct human females in exchange for protection against the Kronock. The only conditions are that the females be unattached (with no one to shed light on their disappearance) and that the Drexians keep the secrecy of alien existence. The tribute brides are taken to a space station behind Saturn called “The Loveboat” where they are mated (married) to their Drexian warriors. The war with the Kronock is still ongoing.
Written in third person perspective, Exposed is book 3 in this series, and follows Drexian Warrior Zayn and his human mate Katie. This book starts with Zayn as a captured prisoner of the Kronock. He manages to escape and winds up on the boat where he is given a tribute bride as a reward. He sees himself as a dishonorable and broken warrior. His failure in keeping his crew alive haunts him more than the torture from the enemy. He falls for Katie and puts his trust and faith into her. Katie was the daughter of a con artist and part of the paparazzi on Earth before she was abducted. Mandy pushed for her abduction because of Katie’s predicament regarding her association. Because Katie was the last to photograph Mandy before she went missing, she had been harassed. At one point, Katie decided to play along with the mated arrangement long enough to write her story and flee back to Earth. Katie fell in love with Zayn, so she changed her mind about her plan.
I liked both the characters in this book a lot better than the previous two books. Kax and Mandy both irked me. I did find myself annoyed when Zayn chose to run away when he found Katie’s notes. What is it about couples not communicating with each other?! Had he just waited and been like “hey, wtf is this?” Then Katie could’ve explained and they wouldn’t have almost died. Then when they made up?! “I was hurt by your betrayal to the point of running away from you forever without giving you the chance to explain yourself, but now that you’re here after sneaking aboard my get-away ship, I am going to forgive you after two paragraphs and fuck you for the rest of our lives.” C’mon! *eye roll*
I wish I could say that the sex scenes were smoking hot and the intensity leading up to it was worth the wait. Unfortunately, the sex was very vanilla and not worth Zayn’s drama and self loathing.
I might need therapy, but that’s what books are for, right? Lol
I will continue the series since I do enjoy Tana Stone’s writing. Thankfully, the books aren’t painfully long. Although, they could use to be shorter.
Contains subject matter that may be a trigger or offensive to some including adult language, adult intimate scenes and violence.
While this could be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend it be read in order for maximum reader satisfaction and to prevent spoilers. There are various themes related to their sworn enemy, the Kronock, throughout the stories, which leads to characters from previous stories being introduced into the current story.
This PNR has several potential items that would make this an adult story (18+ years old). These include kidnapping, fraud / con jobs, assault, torture, and death. If any of these are not acts you enjoy, then please do not purchase and then rate it lower than it deserves.
It is fairly well-written story, with minimal grammatical issues. The storyline, universe building and character development continues to evolve.
I highly recommend that you stop now unless you have read the previous stories, otherwise it could provide a spoiler.
Here is a high level overview of how it begins:
Zayn is a Drexian warrior that survived a horrible attack and ambush that led to him being captured and tortured, but that killed the rest of his team. Through determination, he was able to find a way to escape his chains and cage. Before he stole a ship and found a way back to the rest of the fleet, he found a fellow Drexian warrior. He refused to come back with Zayn, as he had been experimented on, and the Kronock had implanted some of their biomechanical components. This only added to the current level of guilt he feels.
His Tribute was not originally supposed to be part of the Bride program. Katie had an unconventional upbringing. Her father was a shameless con artist, so she was raised on how to exploit others, but never to trust. Unfortunately Katie felt too much sympathy for those they cheated and refused to exploit a mark unless they had done something wrong, so she had to split from her father and follow her own plan.
This lead her to be a paparazzi. It also led to a life being hunted and accused after she has the misfortune of taking the last known photo of Mandy (book #1) before she disappeared. Now to keep her safe, the Drexian’s wisk her away from earth and she Is matched to Zayn.
What will happen if he should ever learn of her plan to escape back to earth and expose everything? With his failure to protect his crew and PTSD, will he have his worst fears of hurting her or others come true?
I enjoyed Zayn and Katie’s human-alien, tortured hero, healing romance. It was a fun, flirty and steamy read. Zayn and Katie are portrayed as real, relatable people who have flaws, but are really just trying to do their best as messy beings. The Drexians have been protecting Earth for decades from the evil Kronock race. In exchange, Earth governments provide tribute brides to the Drexians. Zayn is a Drexian warrior whose last mission to infiltrate the Kronock failed and he ended up being tortured repeatedly until he escaped. Instead of being reassigned to a new mission, he is given a tribute bride. Katie is a human who works as a photographer for gossip magazines. She was raised by her father, a con man. She’s hit a professional snag when she was the last person to photograph Mandy, a celebrity who disappeared (Tamed). Since the Drexians are the cause of Katie’s problems, she is brought into space as a tribute. Neither Zayn nor Katie are interested in a match though for different reasons. I loved Zayn’s character but I had a hard time connecting to Katie and her scheming. It came off as distasteful and dishonorable especially because of Zayn’s history. Though Katie did show the most character growth by the end. The story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters, and an engaging storyline with sweet moments, steam, dangerous situations, alien physiology and cultures, fated mates, coincidences, plot twists, painful pasts, missteps, healing, and laughs.
Katie is suspected of kidnapping her friend Mandy, broke and now recently dumped and so she wonders could things get any worse? Then she was abducted by hot warrior aliens and taken to a cool space station with holographic fantasy suites and alien wedding planners. All Katie can think about is how much she would get paid back home on Earth for the scoop if only she could find a way off the space station and a way back home. But she first has to deal with the problem of the Drexian warrior she was supposed to marry - the one whose scars and nightmares scared her but she can't fall for him. Zayn knows he doesn't deserve a tribute bride - those are only for heroic warriors and not for soldiers who had been captured and tortured. But the human with the fiery red hair stirs something within him even though he knows she can't be his. Especially not when she has been sent to spy on him - he needs to prove that he hasn't been turned by the enemy and keep his distance from the human even though all he wants is to claim her!
I enjoyed this story which introduced two damaged people to each other - Katie from her upbringing and Zayn from his captivity and torture. It was interesting to read about their thoughts, feelings and emotions as they went through their life experiences and the impact on their relationship even if it was not necessarily with each other. Easy to read and understand. Contains some explicit sexual content.
Our book opens with Zayn in a dungeon. He is a Drexian warrior that was captured in a skirmish with the brutal Kronocks. They have imprisoned and tortured him. He makes his escape and ends up on “The Boat” to rest and recuperate after his ordeal. While there, he finds himself matched with Katie, a human tribute bride. He doesn’t want a mate, he doesn’t think he deserves one. Katie has been running cons her who,e life, but she’s at the end of her rope when she’s captured and taken to “The Boat.” She cannot believe that aliens exist and that she’s to be mated to one. She decides to make notes of everything and then find her way back to earth. Surely she can sell this story for some big bucks. She just didn’t count on her would-be mate being so hot, and sweet.
I loved this book! Zayn was such a strong, sweet character. It was heartbreaking to read him suffering with survivor’s guilt, and thinking he wasn’t worthy to have Katie in his life. Their conversations were heartfelt, especially when he was trying to get to know Katie better.
I thought the pace of the book was good, and the overarching storyline was also advanced in this installment of the Tribute Brides series. The epilogue!! Wow, can’t wait for the next book. Each epilogue sets up the plot of the following book. If you can’t tell, I do recommend the series. Read the books in order.
Why the hell is Mandy and everyone else ok with kidnapping women and forcing them to either marry someone not of their choosing or taking a crappy job for the aliens? Just not relatable. They also accepted the aliens screwing hookers easily. Umm.. No thanks..
Is it me or do the wedding planners make you think of the Hunger Games?
I liked Zayn and Katie. Zayn was a sweetheart who was reasonably reluctant. Katie was reasonably going with the flow- unlike previous brides. I didn't expect to like a tabloid photographer but she was right in wanting to expose the alien kidnappings and govt conspiracy.
The whole assigned mates bugs me... Of course they are all pretty women and buff aliens. They are on a superficial love boat created to entice. Just seems shallow. Why shouldn't both sides mingle with different men and women? They are forced into a relationship not knowing if there is a better match.
And.. wtf is up with spiking their drinks with pleasure tonic to make them horny? Roofies anyone? Why the hell is that ok? Nothing wrong with a little date rape ><. What if Karsh had given it to Bridget and then screwed her in the previous book... Again, Reina an alien, is the only one who saw something wrong. Sigh.. Am I over analyzing a fantasy book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
a lot going on, but these two can’t help themselves
Katie is on the run from PIs, the Poli a, and other paparazzi for Mandy’s disappearance- she was the last person to see Mandy before the socialite left Earth for the Love Boat. Zayn escaped captivity on a Kronock warship and has a serious case of Survivor’s guilt.
The two find themselves stuck on the Boat, matched with one another, and fighting their attraction as fiercely as they fight to understand what’s REALLY going on with the Boat.
I honestly would’ve rated this lower, except the development of their relationship was done so well. It took most of the book for these two to truly fall for one another, and given the circumstances that’s the most logical development possible. I loved the extra intrigue, I just wish we saw more of them AFTER their big realizations. Still, I’m looking forward to seeing more in the next book.
This is the third book of the Tribute Brides of the Drexian Warriors Series, an interconnected standalone Sci-Fi action romance, with crossover characters. Katie and Zayn's story is intriguing, fun, and steamy. Katie is feisty, independent, and strong. Zayn is a complex character, strong, and caring. I loved to follow them in this adventure, and I love the ending. The supporting characters are great. I like their friendship. The world building is well done and intriguing. Once again, the Epilogue gives us a glimpse of what's to come. Jodie Bentley has a beautiful voice, easy to understand. She also has a great range of voices, and the characters were easy to distinguish. She did a great job with the narration. Looking forward to listen to the next installment in the Series, Ramsomed. I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I really liked this book and in fact it is my favorite of this series so far. There was an extra layer of emotion to this story due to Zayn's history. This added extra feels to this romance and a lot of complexity to the character. This couple was very appealing and I found myself actively rooting for them. Zayn made my heart hurt and I found him quite swoon worthy. He was brave and strong and I just loved him. As for Katie, she had spunk and sass. All together this was a very fun read that was romantic and steamy. Only single narration on this book but the narrator's voice was pleasing and they did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life.
Didn’t love this one, mainly because it’s a deception plot (she’s a tabloid reporter? photographer? writer? back on Earth and wants to escape back to Earth to expose this alien matchmaking).
Besides the obvious flaws in the plan like… how would she get back to Earth when women who rejected mates live in the “reject area”, never to return to Earth?… it just felt icky that she was lying and basically like, “ya I have to make him like me. Do I kind of like him? Oh well.”
The plot with the hero was less thought out. He escapes from captivity where he was tortured but is haunted by it. Neither were well flushed out characters.
I started skimming around 50% I liked that Zayn and Katie were able to have deeper discussions with each other and it didn't feel so surface level.
Katie was a nightmare of an fmc though. What kind of inconsiderate person asks, "Was it awful?" In a conspiritorial way to an escaped tortured prisoner of war about his experience being held captive. NO SHIT. HE WAS TORTURED AND WATCHED HIS ENTIRE TEAM BRUTALLY DIE. istg i wanted to choke her for majority of the book. Katie was so focused on getting her story and going back to Earth, she didn't give a fuck about who she hurt along the way.
Zayne deserved someone better after all the crap he went through.
This book wasn't quite as adventurous. Katie is a grifter turned paparazzi. Zayne is a Drexian who escaped the Kronock. Katie is lying to everyone. Zayne feels survivors guilt because the rest of his team was killed. Zayne has been having headaches even though medical cleared him. The Boat is experiencing major malfunctions. And there is at least one traitor if not many more on board. This book seems to be a pivotal story. Things are escalating in a few different aspects of this series. Trista's book is next!
The story was interesting in the beginning but in the middle I kind of lost interest but still kept on going. I don��t recall if it was the narrator that got me bored or the story itself so I’m just going to give it a 4 stars because then it picked up and became interesting again when there was glitches and running away and being found again and etc.... well you got to listen and give it your own rating. Everyone has their own opinion so this is mine but I do hope you enjoy it better than I did.
Katie is the paparazzi that had to be saved from Earth after speculation that she was involved in Mandy’s disappearance. Zayn had been a prisoner of the Kronock and escaped, earning him a tribute bride of his own. Quite a bit happens in this book, fantastic storyline with quite a few twists.
Safe read, with a couple that were hesitant for a hot second, but then fell all in, with all the heat. Got to see our favorites from the series, and epilogue that will have you wanting to read the next book, and a much deserved hea.
Loved this book. Both the main characters have serious emotional commitment issues. Katie has been taught by her dad (a con artist) to never trust anyone. Zayn, has severe quilt issues, being the only survivor in his squad captured by the Kronocks. For him to be given a tribute bride as a reward, just seems wrong, yet once he sees Katie, he can’t believe his luck. But you know the old sayings if it’s too good to be true.....
I truly loved Zayn and Katie! She was a train wreck from earth, and he was a psychological wreck himself from captivity. Love that name you gave him Tana!! Exciting read watching each of them work out their life issues, and finally finding each other at the end being the best of themselves as they could be!! This could so easily be a guy with PTSD from our armed forces and her as herself a con artist. Great book thank you so very much 🥰
Wow, I can't believe how easily Katie was taken from earth and to be given to an alien mate named Zayn so fast but thankfully you can see that they are fated to be together when they see each other and both are speechless. And they are so alike that it is wonderful to see their HEA come to life on the pages. Now I can't wait to see Trista's HEA with Dorn's Inferno Force fighter team member.
This one was so far my least favorite. I didn’t like Katie at all and she never grew on me. I feel like Zayn’s story could have been so much better with a different bride and storyline. Should have played more on his scars but how awesome and hot he still was. Not many things worse then a liar and thief type and it seemed like her talking about it was the majority of the book. I still gave it four stars but I would say more like 3.5 based solely on the h and not feeling like they ever really connected and she was a dud.
Been loving these books, outer space, hot romance, and sexy aliens, yes that does take a stretch of imagination. However, the earth bride married to a alien commander in the military gets in the middle of military matters of war. Keep it separate please.
I loved this book even though it broke my heart in places, but as with the rest of this amazing series it has a happy ending. The characters and world building are good, and the plot fast paces and action packed. The narration was good, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
Zeyn & Katie> he was capture and torture by the enemy for who knows how long, but now that he escape and is on the boat he still don't understand how it why he should get a bride? Her life was upside down every since Mandy was missing and now her ex took everything of hers and left what else could happen?